


A Home Outside of Hogwarts

by pshycosweetness



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-05-22
Updated: 2012-05-22
Packaged: 2017-11-05 20:21:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 33,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/410624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pshycosweetness/pseuds/pshycosweetness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione and Minerva are brought back into each other's lives by a chaotic set of circumstances. Throw in Hermione's huffy Irish husband and this is the end result.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a work in progress and has not been forgotten.

"Go ahead and go out to the car with Daddy." Hermione said, turning from the barn owl on the window sill, to her four year old son Xavier, running her fingers through his auburn curls while returning her attention to the owl and attaching her letter to its leg. "Come on , Love, Alexander is already in the car." Hermione recognized the soft Irish lilt of her husband 's voice as he came up behind her.

"Just give me two minutes, I want to get this letter sent to Professor McGonagall I still want her to come for Christmas." Hermione replied, while still struggling to attach her letter to the owl.

"Why don't you just use magic for that?" He asked, raising an eyebrow while feeding the owl an oyster cracker.

"Because you said that I needed to try and do more things without magic." She said, in a rough interpretation of his Irish accent. 'To depended' you said, But I think your just jealous because I can do something that you can't." She said, jokingly.

"Since when do you listen to me?"

"I don't, oh forget this." she murmured after diving to the floor to retrieve the fallen letter, pulling out her wand and waving it over the letter watching as it a attached seamlessly.

"Yet no matter what I say, we still have random owls flying in and out at all hours of the day." he said with a smile, "Quinton Andrew Mcclaussen, you willingly applied for a job at a magical wizarding hospital and your complaining about owls?" she asked , mock shock evident in her tone. pulling him along towards the car where their twin boys were sound asleep in their booster seats.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to avoid being sued, I'd like to point out that I do not own Harry Potter.

Hermione parked the car on the curb and turned to her husband in the passenger seat, "You nervous?" She asked, taking his hand.

"Is it that obvious?" He asked his hand shaking slightly.

"No, but I know you." She whispered

His face, normally, the color of cold Irish coffee had paled considerably during the drive over.

"How does this work?" He asked, "How do we get in?" His face was skeptical as he, stared across the street at what looked like a brick department store called, Purge and Dowse Ltd.

"I can get you in, I know that it looks like an abandoned building now, but wait until we're inside, It's fascinating.

"Okay but how do we get in?" he pressed, more urgently this time, Quinn wasn't one to be kept in the dark.

"Wake up the boys, and we can go." She said, opening the door of the red Mazda and stepping out into the warm autumn sunshine.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

Five minutes later, the small family were standing in front of the building, Alexander was sleepily sitting on Quinn's shoulders, playing with his father's curly hair. While Xavier didn't even wake up, he was still snoozing with his head on Hermione's shoulder.

"Hermione turned to her husband, and smiled at the look of disbelief on his face, as she turned to the window and greeted the mannequin in the window, wearing a green feather boa.

As they stepped through the now liquefied window, Quinn and the boys stared around, Saint Mungo's Hospital for magical maladies and injuries, it looked exactly like a regular hospital except for the healers and med -witch's all wore lime green uniforms and had patches on their breast pockets that bore the wand and cross-bone insignia.

Hermione led her awestruck husband towards the front desk, when they spotted a balding red haired, freckled faced man known as Arthur Weasley who promptly waved them over, " Hermione…What brings you here? He asked , deliberately staring over Quinn.

"Mr. Weasley… how are you? This is my husband Quinn, he is applying for the job on the seventh floor."

She said all of this pretty quickly, as the men shook hands.

"Ah husband… working on the eighth floor, Pity about you and Ronald wasn't it?" he muttered offhandedly, "AHA, the eighth floor the floor for muggle medicine, is that right?" He asked, looking at Quinn.

"Yes Sir. Then he turned to his wife and said, "Hermione, if you leave, how am I supposed to get home?"

Hermione opened her mouth to reply when Mr. Weasley spoke, "Not to worry Hermione, I'll escort Quinn to the eighth floor and make sure he gets home in one piece."

"Thank you Mr. Weasley, if you want to be on time, you better get moving." She said.

"Oh right, thanks Love, see you guys later." He said, setting Alexander on the floor and kissing Hermione on the cheek, before turning to Mr. Weasley. Hermione watched as the pair set off in the direction of the elevator, she could distinctly hear Mr. Weasley ask Quinn how muggle airplanes stayed up.


	3. Chapter 3

Minerva McGonagall sat in the Head office , of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, answering the innumerable letters that littered the marble desk in front of her. The moonlight shinning in from the open window, illuminating her ebony hair.

When she accepted the position as Deputy Headmistress she hadn't fully taken into account the endless responsibilities that would fall on her should the time come that she would have to claim the post of Headmistress. All her time was spent in her office, no , his office, she knew that she would never replace Dumbledore, in all actuality she knew that she was not even his equal, not in power, not in skill certainly not in intellect.

Looking up from her letters she let her eyes fall on the gilded frame, where the portrait of Albus P.W.B. Dumbledore, resided, it's tenant was currently, asleep, his long silvery beard shuddering with each gentle snore.

Seeing him sleeping so peaceful made her heart clench, she knew it was foolish to feel such pain for him now, it had been nearly six years after all, but the pain since his loss still felt new, like a festering wound in her heart, threatening to tear she knew she would never be fully healed.

A knock at the door pulled Minerva from her thoughts just as the tears that welled in her emerald eyes, threatened to spill over.

"Enter." She called, clearing her throat.

Severus Snape entered the circular office, his black cloak billowing around him as he walked.

"Headmistress." He said, seating himself in the chair in front of the desk, his chin length black hair falling in his eyes.

"What can I help you with, professor Snape, I'm sure this is not a social call." She replied , easily slipping into her cold teaching voice lets try and keep this professional.

"Actually, Minerva it is…" he paused, waiting for her to respond.

"And?" her voice was cool and controlled, but she was growing steadily annoyed.

"I wanted to make sure you were alright." He responded, his dark eyes alight with concern.

"I assure you Severus, I am fine." She said, emphasizing the last word, hoping that he would get up and leave, her annoyance was rapidly turning into anger.

"Minerva, You are my colleague and one of the few people I'm proud to call my friend. I know you well enough to know that you are not fine, and you haven't been for a while." he said, sternly, his eyes shining, silently daring her to cross him.

The two most feared professor's in Hogwarts, sat in silence glaring at each other from across the desk.

"I can't stand it. This is absolute pandemonium!" she said exasperated, as another owl perched itself on the window sill, and dropped the letter from its beak before flying back out the window. Minerva Paid no mind to the new edition on her desk, while turning her attention back to the piles of parchment , completely ignoring the now silent, potions master.

"Minerva, I think you might want to open that latest letter." said the calm voice of the portrait of Albus Dumbledore from behind the desk.

"I'll read it later." She replied, in a clipped tone.

"Minerva, just open it now, I can see it from here, it's fro-"

However, anything Albus had to say was interrupted. Because

Before Severus could make any move to stop her, Minerva was on her feet, the portrait of Albus Dumbledore in hand and was beating it face up against the wall.

"WILL" (bang) "YOU" (bang) "SHUT UP!" (Bang) "YOU'RE (Bang) "A" (Bang) "PORTRAIT!" (Bang) "FOR PETE'S SAKE, YOU'RE JUST A PORTRAIT!" She screamed aiming two last strikes at the wall before discarding the broken frame on the floor and walking out the door. 

Severus shared a long look with the now broken portrait, hoping he wouldn't have to be a part of whatever was going to come next , however he knew that lady luck must abandoned him that night when Dumbledore said, "Go after her Severus."

Severus Snape gave a quick nod, and followed in pursuit of Minerva McGonagall, luckily all of the students were in bed and the corridors were empty, he didn't have to go to far when he heard two distinct female voices, shouting at one another, The divination professor, Sybil Trelawney and who else, Minerva McGonagall,

"Sybil, I've told you time and time again, you will be dividing classes with Firenze as you have done for close to eight years!"

" He has no business teaching here, he knows not the power that the inner eye possess!" she shouted, her many shawls swirling around her as she moved.

Severus didn't dare get in the middle of this until absolutely necessary, lest he get hexed.

"Well at least, Firenze's classes don't send a whole class of thirteen year olds into a complete panic, all because you convinced them that you had seen the grim. In. Their tea cups!" Minerva shouted .

"You're trying to drive me out aren't you? Just like Umbridge did your no better than she was, really, after what she did to you, stunners and blood quills I would have thought you would try to be better, but you aren't. You just sit up there in your office and watch, and if someone isn't just like you, or they don't meet your standards, then you try to drive them out!"

Severus watched anxiously as Minerva drew herself up to her full height. Her eyes were agleam with fresh fury at being compared to the vile, repulsive, toad-like, Delores Umbridge.

"how dare you ever compare me to that horrid woman!" Minerva replied, angrier still, then she slapped the other woman right across the cheek, an angry red mark remained as a testament to Minerva's anger.

She stalked over to Severus and the pair walked right past a still shell shocked, Trelawney.

"I would have thought that our dear seer would have seen that coming." Severus smirked. When he thought that Trelawney was out of ear shot.

Apparently he was wrong, because the next second, Minerva was withering on the floor.

A shocked Severus knelt down in front of Minerva, supporting her head as she seized uncontrollably.

"What did you do to her?" Severus shouted, the generally cool and collected potions master, was now in a complete panic.

"I-I do- n-not k-know!" Trelawney stammered, " The spell was meant for you! It was supposed to make you grow wings like a bat! I didn't mean for this to happen!" Trelawney cried.

"Never mind what you meant!" Severus shouted, now furious at the woman's childishness. "Go get help!"

All of a sudden, black webbed wings sprouted from Minerva's back, and she stopped seizing, while the wings flapped wildly. Causing her to drift towards the ceiling.

"Poppy!" Snape screamed in the direction of the hospital wing, while taking Minerva's ankles and failing to pull her back toward the ground.


	4. Chapter 4

Minerva McGonagall sat at the small table in the corner of her cramped muggle motel room, fingering the relatively light parchment of the envelope, that had been sent from one Hermione Mcclaussen., the night that Minerva had lost her job. Breaking the seal, Minerva spread the parchment flat on the table, and begin to read.

Dear Professor McGonagall,

Hope you are well, I am currently writing from my home in a muggle town just outside of Lancaster in England, Quinn says he doesn't understand enough about magic to cope with living in any sort of wizarding village. He is outside now putting Alexander in the car. I was able to take a few minutes to write you, We are about to leave and head to Saint Mungo's, Quinn has a job interview today, he wants to work on the eighth floor, where muggles who have been affected by magic, can be treated in a muggle surrounding. That way nobody has to wipe away their memories .I think they should have come up with that ages ago! Obliviating people are so dangerous!

It has been too long since our last correspondence, I am eager to know of all that goes on at Hogwarts, I'll bet the Halloween decorations were fantastic this year! the boys always get really excited when the holidays come around. It would be great if you could make it down here for Christmas, it's usually just the four of us, Quinn doesn't have family and my parents are in Australia still believing that they never had a daughter, Harry and Ron take their families to Mrs. Weasley's house for the holidays she likes having her family together. But I will say this again we would love to see you here, but I would understand, if you couldn't make it , how would it look if , the Headmistress of Hogwarts took off on an extended holiday, to go and visit a former pupil ?

Also, I've been meaning to ask, has anyone ever been able to clean up the Weasley twin's swamp?

I still cannot believe that it survived the war!

Well Quinn is back now so I should cut this short,

Again, hope you are well, and to hear from you soon

Love from,

Hermione.

Minerva re-folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope, silently putting it in the top drawer of the dresser, that contained all of her other letters as well as the newspaper cuttings of Hermione and Quinn Mcclaussen's, engagement and wedding announcements, as well as one concerning the birth of Hermione's sons.

It wasn't like Minerva to save little things like that especially pertaining a former student, but Minerva and Hermione had grown close after the war, they would stay up for hours just talking about everything under the sun. even when Hermione went to Australia and met Quinn, they still made the effort to write at least once a week. and she was even invited to Hermione's wedding, even if she didn't attend.

Sighing, she took a piece of parchment from the drawer, she began to pen her response, "It's your lie, tell it like you want it, right?" She murmured.

Hermione stood at the kitchen counter chopping red potatoes, when the flames in the fireplace, in the adjoining living room, turned green and deposited a very jovial Quinn, onto the rug. "I got the job, I got the job!" He said in a singsong voice.

"That's brilliant!" Hermione exclaimed, disregarding the potatoes and wrapping her arms around Quinn's neck and kissing him firmly on the lips.

When the need for oxygen became to great, the two broke apart, and Quinn called up the winding staircase, to the two four year olds who were busy playing.

"Boys, come down here for a moment!"

Moments later, the sounds of stampeding elephants could be heard as the boys came tromping down the stairs.

The boys bright eyes lit up at seeing the smile on their father's face.

"You got the job didn't you Daddy?" They asked in unison.

"Yes, but.. I-." But Quinn was interrupted by the boy's turning around and facing each other and chorusing "Trains, trains, trains!"

Then they took off back upstairs to look at their train magazines.

"Wow that certainly was interesting ." Quinn said, turning back Hermione.

"What was all that about trains?" Hermione asked.

"Well you see, since you've been working and we have been stuck here during the days, I've been taking the boys on the underground, buying them train magazines, I promised to buy them their own train set if I got this job."

He said the last part very fast, and he hoped Hermione hadn't heard it.

"Quinn, you better not break this promise." She said, warning laced in every syllable.

"Have I ever broken a promise before?" Hermione went to retort but she was interrupted "Now Hermione don't even start that I know I've broken promises to you. But have I ever broken my word to my sons?"

Hermione had to stop and think a minute before she could answer honestly, he had broken his word to her a few times, like when they married he said that he didn't mind her being a witch he didn't mind her using magic. But then six years later, their household became nothing short of a magic free zone, but of course she had her job in magical law enforcement where she was able to use her powers or she risked losing them. And they used the floo network and owls for communication with the wizarding world.

But apart from that she ran her home like any other muggle. Quinn always tried to keep

His word with her, it just didn't work out. But when it came to the boys, Quinn always did what he said. They wanted a dog, Xavier and Alexander begged and pleaded for weeks until Quinn promised to get them a dog, when their birthday came around he went out and bought them a chocolate Labrador puppy named Coco, The three of them built Coco a dog house in the back yard, where that same dog resides today.

"No, Quinn, I can honestly say that you have never made a promise to the boys, that you didn't keep." Hermione answered honestly.

Suddenly the conversation was interrupted by Harry Potter's Head sticking out of the green flames in the fireplace.

"Hey, Hermione!" Harry called.

Hermione knelt on the floor in front of the fireplace with Quinn standing beside her

"Hey Harry what's up?"

"Have you seen The Evening Prophet?" Harry asked.

"No my owl hasn't come in yet, why?"

They were interrupted by a fierce pecking on the window.

"Well never mind then, I think that's it." Hermione said as Quinn went to allow Barnubus the barn owl, inside the house.

"Pull me in I want to show you something." Harry said.

"Alright, come on in."

Seconds later the tall messy dark haired form of Harry Potter, emerged from the flames just as Quinn returned with the newspaper and a letter, clutched in his hand.

"Mail for one Hermione Granger." Quinn called, rejoining Hermione and Harry in the living room, and handing Hermione her mail.

"It's from McGonagall." Hermione explained as she eagerly tore open the letter.

There was a moments silence as Hermione read the letter, her eyes scanning the page multiple times before replacing it in the envelope.

"She says she's going on holiday in Greece." Hermione said, feeling slightly dejected.

"Not likely Hermione." Harry said,, eying the news paper in Quinn's hand.

"What?" Hermione asked, now very confused..

"Look at the front page." Harry said, taking the paper from Quinn and leading them to the table in the center of the room and unrolling it before handing it to Hermione, then she began to read aloud.

"The Evening Prophet reports that Minerva Grace McGonagall

Former head of Gryffindor house, Transfiguration Professor and Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, has been removed from her positions at the school."

"What! Removed?" They can't do that!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Keep reading, it gets worse." Harry replied.

Minister of magic, Kingsley Shaklebolt confirms that she is emotionally unfit and unwell, charges include defacing government property and assaulting a teacher.

The victim of the assault wishes to keep her identity anonymous However, she did have this to say: " I for one, knew she was cracking up a bit, the inner eye see's all."

Potions master, Severus Snape, witness to the assault, had this to say.

"Minerva was indeed unfairly provoked, and she is not 'cracking up' as the last commenter stated.

Our sources tell us that Severus Snape was the last person to see McGonagall after the attack. When asked about her whereabouts Snape had this to say,

"Why should I tell you anything? I will only say this to put the minds of her friends at ease, she is safe. I will say no more!"

We here at the Prophet have questions of our own;

Where is McGonagall? What possessed her to do what she did? Why is Severus Snape so protective of her? Why wasn't the department of Magical Law Enforcement informed of this?

We hope to have these answers and many more next time.

"Well that's it then, Hermione said softly, " that's why she hasn't been writing to me."

The conversation was interrupted when a pummeling knock was heard at the front door.

"I'll get it." Quinn said, raising from his seat on the sofa and turning down the hallway.

"I just don't understand, why wasn't somebody in the Department Of Magical Law Enforcement, notified? Somebody had to have been notified." Hermione said.

Quinn suddenly appeared, followed by a red haired Ron Weasley.

"Hermione, have you seen The Prophet?" Ron asked, coming to sit next to Hermione.

"Yeah, I just saw it." Hermione replied.

"Unbelievable, McGonagall…" Ron said, a hint of reverence in his voice.

"I know. Harry said Wonder who she assaulted."

Looking around at each other, all three of the Golden trio, answered in unison

"Trelawney"

"That much was obvious, didn't you guys catch that bit about the inner eye?" Hermione said, undisguised disgust lacing her tone.

"Yeah I just didn't give it too much thought." Harry said.

"Shocking" Ron, answered. His voice low. "Oi, Hermione, what's with the moldy potatoes?" He asked, eyeing the diced potatoes on the counter.

"I was cooking and I got distracted."

"The muggle way?" Harry asked.

"Yeah."

"Well if I finish can I eat here?" Ron asked.

"Sure, wait a second, I didn't know you could cook!" Hermione exclaimed, complete shock all over her face.

"Don't look so surprised, you two, I like to eat and I figured it was only practical to learn to cook." Ron said defensively, eyeing the looks that his friends were giving him.

As he stood up and walked into the kitchen, lifting the lid off a large cast iron pot and wrinkling his nose. "Blimey, Hermione! I'm going to have to use magic for this!" Ron exclaimed, as smoke from the burnt pot began to fill the house.

"What was this muck anyway?" He asked over the loud beeping of the fire alarms.

"Beef stew."

"Beef stew" Ron said making a disproving noise with his tongue as he began to use magic to clear away the smoke, before the two boys upstairs, were alerted.

"Tell me again, how do you manage to feed your sons, no wonder they're so skinny!" He called from the kitchen.

"Alright Ronald, I get it, I'm not a good cook, thanks for pointing that out." Hermione replied dryly. Before Quinn could step in.

"No problem Hermione that is what I'm here for."

Soon the whole house smelled of delicious carrots , onions and fresh baked bread.

Xavier and Alexander came running down the stairs whenever the intriguing smells wafted there way into the air. "Who's cooking Mum?" Alexander asked, when he saw that his parents and Harry were all seated in the living room.

"I am." Ron said, poking his head out the kitchen door, wearing a pink flowered apron, that was covered in flour, and oven mitts on his hands, that held a pan of fresh made rolls.

"Ron!" The boys yelled, running towards the kitchen and hugging him.

"Ho hang on guys."

Ron said, hurrying to put the hot pan on the counter to avoid burning his attackers.

"Now which one of you is Alexander?" Ron asked, he still couldn't tell the two apart, even though there was a noticeable difference..

"I am." Alexander said raising his hand, his teal eyes shining against his naturally tan skin, that resembled his father's. His brown curly hair, sat neatly on the top of his head.

His brother Xavier on the other hand, looked very different, even though they were twins.

He was as light as his brother was dark. Brown eyes shone against alabaster skin, freckles danced across the bridge of his nose, and his reddish-brown waves trailed down the nape of his neck.

Out of all their unique features, both shared one in particular, dimples shone in each pair of cheeks whenever they smiled.

Ron and Harry had a way with them that made both pairs of dimples make themselves known.

"Alright, now that I know who you are now, I say…Let's Eat!" Ron said, stripping off the oven mitts as he began serving the food.

"Hey Ron…why are you wearing pink?" Xavier asked cautiously.

"I'm not wearing pink…wait a second…" Ron said, looking down, "so I am…oops…" With that his ears turned bright red and the two boys began to laugh.

"Hey. Why didn't I get a greeting like that?" Harry asked as he stepped in through the kitchen door and saw Ronald embracing the boys in a fierce bear hug.

"Not even I got a greeting like that." Quinn said as he stepped around Harry to help Ron retrieve plates.

"Sorry Harry." The pair said in unison as they made their way to him and clung to his legs.

"Okay guys, I'm going to pull you into the living room, and then I'm going to have to go. Now hang on." Harry stated before dragging them into the other room and depositing them in front of Hermione.

"Why do you have to go Harry?" Alexander asked, whenever Harry had stooped down to hug him goodbye.

"Well, you know Ginny, I can't leave her alone to long, or she could make me sleep on the couch." Harry said, smiling.

"Alright, see you later than." Alexander replied.

Standing up, Harry crossed the room and shook hands with Quinn, "Congratulations on the job Mate." Harry said before turning to Hermione and hugging her, "You okay? I know you and McGonagall are close". He whispered in her ear.

"I'm just a little shocked, I think I'm going to try and contact Snape and try to find McGonagall." Hermione explained.

"Please wait until I leave, to contact Snape." Harry said, "I think he's still pretty ticked at me, from the last time we saw each other."

"Well you did leave him, to die." Hermione said.

"Yeah well, what did he expect from me, I'm a coward, just like my father."

"Harry, if you want to keep your head attached to your shoulders, I would let go of me, right now, Quinn's getting pretty upset."

At that Harry pulled away, quickly and jumped in the fireplace, and disappeared in a whirl of green flames.

"Well I'm staying. I cooked so I'm eating." Ron said, seating himself at the table, after helping Xavier and Alexander get their plates.

"Eat all you want boys. Who knows when you will get a meal like this again." Ron said, jokingly.

"Will you shut up about my cooking Ronald!" Hermione said, punching him in the arm, as she sat down between him and Quinn.


	5. Chapter 5

Dinner passed rather uneventfully, until Alexander nearly fell asleep in his second bowl of stew, then Hermione declared that it was time for bed, Hermione lifted Alexander into her arms and carried him towards the staircase, "Night Ron." He mumbled sleepily, over his mother's shoulder.

"Night Buddy." Ron replied, startled whenever Xavier had crawled onto his lap and rested his head on Ron's shoulder.

"Hey, X what are you doing?" Ron asked, curious.

"Will you help Daddy tuck me in?"

"Well, Bud I'm pretty sure your Dad doesn't need any help." Ron said confused.

"Please." the boy asked, burying his head further into Ron's shoulder.

"Alright, fine."

"Daddy, Ron's going to help you tuck me in." Xavier said, lifting his head to look at his father.

Ron noticed how Quinn's eyebrows shot up into his hair. As if this wasn't weird enough, he didn't need Quinn getting all upset over Xavier's simple request.

"Alright, come on then." was Quinn's curt reply as he started up the staircase.

Ron hurried to stand up and follow Quinn, he staggered slightly at first due to the new weight in his arms.

When they reached the carpeted hallway, Ron was still following Quinn. Xavier's bedroom was the second door to the left, with his brother's right after, the two were separated only by a jack'n Jilll bathroom.

When the three entered the room, it was dark except for the lamp on the bedside table, the pale light illuminated the blue and red bed spread that lay neatly on the twin sized bed that was framed in cherry wood.

Quinn pulled back the blankets and sat on the bed as Ron shifted the very sleepy Xavier onto the bed. "Wait a second. Ron said, perplexed. "I'm no expert on this whole bedtime thing, but don't kids usually wear some sort of night clothes?" Ron asked, turning to Quinn.

"Oh right." Quinn said, turning to the cherry wood dresser in the corner, and pulling out a blue and black flannel set.

Ron sat on idle on the bed, watching as Quinn patiently helped his son dress, this parenting thing is not for me. He thought blandly.

"Ron, will you read me a story?" Asked Xavier, in his small tired voice, that effectively pulled Ron from his thoughts.

"Sure Bud, which one?"

"I don't care." The boy mumbled, closing his eyes.

"Okay, wait a second" Quinn said kneeling at the boys bedside and looking at him. "We need to say a prayer before anything else."

"Ron will you say goodnight to Jesus with me?" Xavier asked, with pleading in his voice.

"Um…sure, why not?"

Ron steepled his hands and bowed his head as Quinn recited the Lords prayer. He only looked up again when he heard Xavier say in a slow tired voice, "In Jesus name, ahem."

"How about that story now?" Ron asked. Walking over to the bookshelf and selecting a book. He was pretty sure what the reply would be judging that it was close to ten O'clock at night but he wanted to be prepared in case he was wrong.

His only answer was a gentle snore, coming from the bed.

"Alright, that's that. Xavier is asleep, now all I have to do is check on Lex." Quinn said, standing up.

"Who's Lex? Sounds a bit like a girls name, I didn't know you had a daughter. Unless, Herm-"

Quinn's face darkened and he cut Ron of by stating, "No Ron, Hermione and I don't have a daughter. I was talking about Alexander, my son."

"Then why did you call him Lex?" Ron asked, seriously perplexed.

"Lex think about it Ron."

"Sorry mate… I don't follow."

"Lex Luther." Quinn asked, trying in vain to make Ron understand the nickname.

"Who's Lex Luther?" Ron asked, growing frustrated.

"From Superman!" Quinn said, trying to make Ron see his obvious point.

"Who in the bloody hell is Superman?"

"What! …are… you … telling… me …you …. Have ….no …idea … who … Superman … is?" Quinn asked, amazed. As the two walked into the hallway.

Hearing the ongoing discussion between her husband and her best friend, Hermione quickly came out of Alexander's bedroom and joined the to men in the hallway.

"Hermione please explain to Ron here what Superman is." Quinn said, exasperated.

Hermione then spent the next hour in vain explaining muggle superheroes to Ronald, when finally the grandfather clock in the hallway, chimed eleven, and Quinn told Ron to just buy a TV and watch Smallvile.

"I think I'm going to turn in now, it's late. I'll talk to you tomorrow Ron." Hermione said, raising from her place on the tan sofa, and stretching.

"Blimey, what time is it?" Ron asked.

"After eleven." Quinn replied.

"I think I'm going to take off. Ron said, heading for the door, see you later Hermione, nice work on getting the job at St. Mungo's Quinn." He added as an after thought.

Seconds later a faint pop could be heard from where Ron had apparated from inside the hallway.

"Well like I said, I'm going to bed." Hermione stated, slowly drifting towards the stairs.

"Alright I'll be up in a bit, I'm going to take a shower first." Quinn replied, when he realized with a pang of embarrassment, that he was the only one in the room, Hermione hadn't heard a word he said.

Hermione walked slowly almost mechanically up the stairs to the bedroom that she and Quinn shared. Her thoughts were to absorbed in thoughts of the newspaper article she had read earlier that evening. As well as the letter that her former teacher had sent her.

Hermione wasn't sure what to believe if Professor McGonagall really had been fired, then she wouldn't be going to Greece, would she? But if she hadn't been fired and she was still Headmistress of Hogwarts than surely she wouldn't leave the school, Dumbledore never left the school for such trivial matters like going on a vacation. Then again, Hermione hadn't exactly had what anyone would call a normal duration at school.

Somebody was lying and Hermione was determined to find out who.

Hermione was to lost in her head to realize that Quinn was lying in the queen sized bed next to her.

"You still awake?" He asked.

"I just keep thinking about Professor McGonagall, I don't know what to do about it."

"The answer is simple. You do nothing. Your former teacher is not your responsibility."

"How can you say that! I have to do something!" Hermione said, outraged.

"All I'm saying is…maybe this person that you care so much about, doesn't feel the same for you, Hermione think about it, You invited her to our wedding and she didn't even have the decency to write and tell you why she wasn't there. Every year you ask her to come for Christmas, and she doesn't show, what other explanation is there?" Quinn said, trying to get Hermione to see his point.

"Whatever Quinn, you just don't get it, tomorrow I'm going to find out exactly what happened with Professor McGonagall. Goodnight Quinn." Hermione said, rolling over to face the wall. But that niggling voice inside her head, made her wonder if what Quinn had said was true.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning Hermione awoke with a plan in mind. She was careful not to wake Quinn as she slipped out of the bed, pulling down the black silk nightgown she had slept in the night before, she slipped on the matching housecoat and started down the hall. She poked her head inside Alexander's room, watching the first few rays of sunlight stream in the window and fall on his face, when she was satisfied that he was still sound asleep, she moved down the hall and looked in on Xavier, she watched the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest as he slept peacefully.

Hermione moved quickly down the staircase she wanted to get her plan underway as soon as possible. Stepping off the last stair, Hermione glanced at the clock on the wall above the mantle, it read 9:45 on a Saturday. Apparently, she had slept longer than she thought. 'Would he even be up this early?' She wondered, heading towards the kitchen, thinking it would be better to wait until she was sure that the person she wanted to contact, would be awake. Even though she knew that it probably wouldn't make much of a difference.

Nevertheless, Hermione busied herself preparing breakfast, scrambled eggs, toast and tea. She would leave the bacon for Quinn to cook, since Hermione always seemed to overcook it. Soon the sound of three pairs of feet coming down the stairs, echoed through the house just as Hermione had finished setting the table.

"Morning Love." Quinn said, coming behind her and kissing her cheek. His breath caressing her skin, the smell of spearmint toothpaste floating in the air.

"Morning." Hermione replied.

"Sleep well?" He asked.

"Not really."

"Do you want me to cook the bacon?"

"If you want to, I really don't care." She said sharply, she was still a little miffed about what had been said the night before.

"Morning Momma." Hermione turned around to see Alexander staring up at her.

"Good morning." She answered sweetly, picking him up and balancing him on her hip.

While piling scrambled eggs into a serving bowl.

"You're still mad at me aren't you?" Quinn said, watching as she began scraping the Teflon out of the pan and into the bowl.

"Well what do you think? You tell me, you think you know so much than you just clue me in." She answered crossly.

"Look, all I'm saying is maybe-"

"Shut up Quinn, shut up right now before I hex you into next week." Hermione's voice was cold and threatening It made the hairs on the back of Quinn's neck on end.

"Momma put me down!" Alexander suddenly shouted. Apparently the child had been trying to get his mother's attention for awhile, because as soon as his feet made contact with the hardwood floor, he sprinted down the hallway and into the bathroom.

Hermione and Quinn immediately erupted into peals of laughter, all anger and frustrations forgotten, hearing his parents laughing like that, caused Xavier to join in as well.

After everyone calmed down, the family was able to sit down and eat, the boys were involved in an animated discussion, so Quinn took that opportunity to talk to Hermione.

"What do you have in mind today?" He asked, careful to keep his voice low.

"I'm planning on making contact with someone who might know where Professor McGonagall is."

"So I guess you're still stuck on this." He sighed, feeling defeated.

"Yeah I am." She answered defiantly.

"Very well, I'll take the boys on the underground or the park or something, so you can have some quiet time to work things out. But just what are you planning on doing if you do find her?" He asked.

"I'm not entirely sure yet, it depends." Hermione answered.

"Alright. Just do what you think is right, I trust your judgment."

"You really mean that? All of it?" Hermione asked, curious.

"Of course. I trust you, you're a good person, Hermione you have a good heart, that's one of the things I love most about you."

"That means a lot." She said , glancing at the clock on the opposite wall.

"It's nearly eleven." Quinn said, looking at his watch. "boys if you are finished eating, I want you both to go get dressed, we're having a guys day." Quinn said.

"Cool" Alexander said, his eyes wide

"Awesome" Xavier said, jumping off his seat.

The two raced up the stairs and Hermione turned back to her husband, "Thank you for doing this." She said.

"Just be careful, if…things don't work out the way you want…I don't want to see you hurt."

"It'll be okay." She assured him.

By that time the boys were sitting on the sofa in the living room waiting for their dad.

"Alright then, we are going to head out now." Quinn said, walking towards the boys.

"Bye Momma!" Alexander said, raising his arms above his head so she could pick him up.

"Bye - bye have fun ." she said, hugging him, then standing him on his feet again.

"Oh Quinn, make sure the boys wear their jackets and scarves, it's supposed to be cold outside."

"Alright, Love, come here Alexander, put on your coat." he said , to Alexander as he pulled the boy's coat from the coat rack that was standing next to the front door.

"Mommy's boy." Xavier muttered, under his breath as Hermione wrapped a stripped scarf around Alexander's neck, while Quinn helped Xavier into his coat.

"Hey now." Hermione warned, turning to face Xavier, and wrapping a checked scarf around his neck, Xavier, you know that's not nice, apologize to your brother."

"But he didn't hear me Momma."

"It still wasn't nice. I want you to apologize to him sometime today. I love you very much, Xavier, Alexander just likes a little more attention sometimes, that doesn't mean I love you any less."

"Promise Momma?" He asked in a voice that was barely above a whisper.

"I promise, Darling." She said, wrapping her arms around him and lifting him up.

"Have fun today, I'll see you when you get home." She said, kissing his hair and placing him back on the floor.

"Okay." He said, grinning.

"I'll see you guys later." Hermione said, crossing the room and hugging both her sons one more time, before turning to Quinn, "I'll leave a note if something comes up and I have to leave."

"Alright. Just be careful. We will be home before dark."

"You be careful." She said, pressingly.

"We will." He said, opening the front door and leading the boys outside.

Hermione watched as her family loaded into Quinn's green truck, and pulled out onto the street.

She took a deep breath and walked over to the fireplace in the living room.

Grabbing a handful of floo powder and throwing it into the fireplace, she stuck her head among the green flames and shouted, "Hogwarts, potions master's office"

Within seconds, Hermione's eyes met with the interior of a potions lab. There was a caldron simmering on a hearth on the opposite wall with what looked like, eyeballs and bugs and the like, floating in odd colored liquids.

Hermione's voice caught in her throat as she thought about what she would say, she felt foolish for not even preparing herself for her encounter with her least favorite ex-teacher.

"Professor Snape!" Hermione said, her voice rose slightly.

Suddenly a door on the left swung open to reveal a cross looking man wearing robes of black, his greasy black hair, fell in curtains on either side of his face. He glared at the fireplace over his hooked nose.

"Ms. Granger" he said, in a low voice. "To what do I owe this… pleasure?" He said the last word like it might make him sick.

"Professor, I hope I'm not interrupting anything but-"

"Didn't you think that I might have better things to do than listen to your incisive groveling? Get to the point." He spat.

"I saw the article about Professor McGonagall." Hermione said hurriedly.

"And why did you find it necessary to tell me this?" He asked.

"Well, the article said that you were the last person to see Professor McGonagall, and I was hoping you could tell me a little bit about what happened."

"I figured as much."

"So…are you going to help me or not?" Hermione asked, she had stopped caring about being rude, a long time ago.

"No." Snape said simply. "There is nothing I can say that you don't already know"

"No…what do you mean 'no'! I know that you know where to find Professor McGonagall Hermione said, outraged, feeling desperate.

"I won't help you." He said again. As he began to pull away from the fireplace.

"Why! Why won't you tell me? I know that you know, so why won't you just tell me?" Hermione begged, feeling like a child pleading for a toy that was desperately wanted.

Snape looked down at the former student, hanging in his hearth, watching, he allowed a small smirk to grace his lips as he listened to her words.

"Alright, fine. But I'm coming in, this isn't something I'm comfortable speaking about over floo."

Seconds later, Snape had stepped out of the fire and into Hermione's living room.

Hermione scrambled to her feet and sat down in a chair opposite Severus, with a table between them.

"Would you like some tea, or something?" Hermione asked, feeling awkward as the silence began to stretch on.

When Snape didn't answer, Hermione felt the need to leave the room, so she occupied herself by walking into the kitchen and preparing tea for herself and her guest.

Ten minutes later, Hermione sat a silver tea tray down on the cherry wood table, and waited for Severus to speak.

"What are you planning on doing with the information that I am capable of giving you?" He asked, silkily.

"I'm not sure yet, it depends."

"On what?"

"Look, I asked you here to tell me about Professor McGonagall, not to interrogate me. If you're not going to tell me, I'll find out on my own." Hermione said, sharply. Growing annoyed.

"Fine then, we'll just see how far you get on you're solo vigilante mission." Snape said, his voice was deathly quite. He spoke each word through clenched teeth.

For a split second, Hermione feared that he would get up and leave, when he spoke again.

"It seems like you just aren't going to leave this alone, so I'm saving myself time, by just telling you bluntly, Minerva was attacked, by Sybil Trelawney…. We found half empty liquor bottles in the desk at Hogwarts." He said.

"Wait…bottles…in whose desk? We all knew that Trelawney had a problem." Hermione said, confused.

"They weren't Sybil's you foolish girl!" Snape spat, raising from his seat and slamming his fist on the table, causing the tray to shake loudly.

"Wait a second, if Professor McGonagall was attacked, then how come Trelawney wasn't arrested?" Hermione asked, a thousand questions whirling in her head.

"Because, Minerva struck first." Snape said, calmer now, sitting back down.

"Was she alright, how did this happen?" Hermione asked, urgency lacing her tone.

"Well…Sybil was fine, apart from the handprint across her cheek."

"I could care less about Trelawney, I'm sure she had it coming." Hermione said, frantic.

"Minerva, on the other hand." Snape said, completely ignoring Hermione, "Spent a few days in St. Mungo's, the fall or the curse for that matter, wasn't exactly kind to her body, well , it wasn't so much a fall, more like a landing." His voice was surprisingly low and sorrowful.

"Where is she?" Hermione asked, wanting to know for certain that her friend was alright.

"I'll…um…show you, but you should know that it isn't exactly the nicest place and Minerva had an appointment with Poppy well , Madam Pomfrey, to you. today so tonight wouldn't be the best time for visitors

"Alright. I'll just write Quinn a note so he knows that I left." Hermione said, grateful that at least she would be able to see Professor McGonagall at another time and that Snape was being so easy about this.

"Now since you don't know where you are going, we are going to have to side apparate ."


	7. Chapter 7

Hermione quickly pulled her wand out of a drawer of a desk that sat in the corner of her living room.

" Why pray tell do you keep your wand in a desk drawer?" Snape drawled, from across the room near the door.

"It's practical." Hermione answered, simply.

"In what realm, do find that keeping your only magical outlet, the one piece of protection you have, hidden in a drawer practical?" He hissed.

"Well…the boys could get a hold of it and-"

"And how old are your sons now?" He asked, as if she was missing some obvious answer.

"They're four. Why?"

"And isn't that the age where young children start exhibiting signs of magic?"

"Yes, but Quinn-" Hermione began.

"Quinn, that foolish muggle you married." Snape scoffed. "I don't have time to discuss your martial woes. Take hold of my arm so we can leave."

For the first time since Snape had been in her house, Hermione dropped the defiant attitude and obeyed Snape, taking a tight hold on his arm, feeling as if she were being drug by her navel down a long tube. Then as quickly as the feeling came, it was gone, and the pair landed side by side in a dark, deserted parking lot.

"Where are we?" Hermione asked. Looking around.

"The Golden Arches Motel, about five miles from St Mungo's." Snape said, gesturing toward a broken down neon sign, the A flickered red for a second, then went completely out.

"You brought Professor McGonagall here?"

"Yes, I thought it best, at the time, to keep her out of the public spotlight and out of the magical world."

Hermione noticed the way he had added the phrase 'at the time' as if he was regretting his decision.

They stayed silent for a while, just standing there, in the empty parking lot, listening to the sounds of a dog barking from somewhere in the distance, and sirens filling the night air with their high pitched wailing. Hermione was starting to get the feeling that this was the kind of place where you wouldn't want to be caught alone in the dark and she was grateful that Snape was there, no matter how grudgingly.

"We should get back now. It's not exactly safe after dark." Snape said, "I feel I should ask you though, if you should decide to come back here, could you not to tell Minerva that I brought you here, she wouldn't be too thrilled with me if she knew. I fear she might impale me with her walking stick. She isn't' exactly herself right now, frankly she's a little frightening." Snape said, looking a little sheepish after that last comment.

"Wait a second, Professor McGonagall scares you? You worked for Voldemort!" Hermione said, utterly amazed, that anyone could frighten Severus Snape.

"Minerva McGonagall doesn't scare me!, Severus said, returning to his usual drawl, then dropping it again. "It's more like…I'm afraid for her, she's gone off the deep end, I can't figure out what to do for her, it might do her some good to see you though."

"Alright, I'll come back here tomorrow, I won't tell her you told me anything." Hermione said, taking Severus's arm the feeling of being yanked by her navel, came over her.

Hermione returned home, Snape had disappeared out the back door, just in time to see Quinn's green truck, pull up in the driveway. She hurried outside and down the steps, slipping slightly, she was to eager to tell him about all that she knew.

"Hermione what's going on? You nearly broke your neck!" Quinn exclaimed, opening the door of the truck and holding her by the top of her arms, just below the shoulders, worry showing on his features.

"Quinn, I found her! Snape took me to the motel where he dropped her off!" Hermione explained.

"What the hell Hermione, can we talk about this later? The boys are pretty wiped out and I'm starving."

"Alright fine, let's take the boys inside and I'll order pizza." Hermione said, a little put out.

Hermione opened the door and unfastened Xavier's sleeping form from his car seat and carried him inside, his head drooping on her shoulder.

Quinn and Alexander were at her heels, and they deposited both their sons on respective couches, they ate in silence, Alexander and Xavier ate a very small amount before they were carried to bed. And Hermione and Quinn finally cracked and retired, it had been a very long day.

Hermione and Quinn were lying in bed, each absorbed in their own thoughts, Hermione was still racking her brain about the events of the day. While Quinn was trying to persuade Hermione to talk to him. "Hermione, Love, do you want to tell me about your day? I've told you about mine." Quinn said, his voice was smooth, and persuasive.

"Oh like you care now." Hermione said, a little too sharp.

"Well you wanted to tell me earlier, why won't you tell me now?"

"Because you don't really care. Give me one good reason why I should tell you now." Hermione said, irritated.

"I do care, Love, just tell me." Quinn said, sweetly smiling at her, with a grin that would make Gildaroy Lockhart envious.

"Fine, Snape and I went to the motel where he left Professor McGonagall, he wouldn't let me see her, but at least now I know where she is, I'm planning to go and see her tomorrow but the neighborhood is pretty dicey, I just keep thinking about what you said before. Do you really think that she doesn't care about me?" Hermione asked, still thinking about what Snape had said, 'It might do her some good to see you' She spoke very fast as if she had been waiting to say just that for a very long time.

"Love, listen to me, do you really think that this, Snape person is telling you the truth? From what you told me he sounds a bit slimy."

"He is, usually, and I normally wouldn't put him past something like that, but you didn't see him you didn't hear the way he spoke when he told me about what happened. He was so genuine, I believe him. I don't know why, but I do." Hermione said, in a tone of finality.

"Alright, I trust you. If the neighborhood is that bad, then I will come with you. Your safety is my number one priority."

"Thanks Quinn, I'll talk to Ginny tomorrow and see if she can keep the boys. What about the last question? Do you really think Professor McGonagall doesn't care about me?" Hermione asked, with her voice cracking slightly.

"I can't say Love, her letters went from deeply personal, to very distant just like that. Not to mention those that didn't even merit a response." Quinn finished his sentence with a snap of his fingers to symbolize something happening very fast, "But maybe that's not what what's going on, we will find out tomorrow though. I love you Hermione" Quinn said, putting his arm around her.

"Goodnight Quinn. I love you."

Hermione slept fitfully, tossing and turning, once she even went as far as slapping Quinn across the face, until he awoke with a bloody nose. "Hermione, wake up!" Quinn shouted, shaking her slightly, with one hand, while his other hand tried to stop his nose from dripping.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked, bolting straight up and switching on the bedside lamp. "Quinn what happened?" Hermione exclaimed, looking at Quinn's bloody nose.

"You, you happened! You bloody hit me!" Quinn exclaimed.

"Oh, Quinn, I'm so sorry." Hermione said, as she stood up and went into the in suite bathroom and pulled a wad of toilet paper off the roll and began stopping Quinn's nostrils with it to stifle the bleeding.

"I'm so sorry." Hermione said again, after ten minutes, when Quinn's nose finally stopped bleeding.

"Never mind, just go back to sleep." Quinn said, holding her close. Within moments, Hermione was sleeping peacefully, they remained that way for the rest of the night.

The alarm clock that sat on the bedside table, buzzed the pair awake at nine 'O clock in the morning. Quinn slammed his hand on the button, to silence the sound. "Love, are you ready to get up yet? You had a bit of a rough night last night." He said, leaning over her and kissing her shoulder.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Hermione muttered, getting out of bed and pulling on her housecoat with one hand, using the other to shield her eyes from the sunlight that was streaming in from the window.

"Quinn, I'm going to get dressed, you go look in on the boys." , Hermione said, making her way to the dresser and pulling out a pair of dark washed jeans, and a loose black sweater.

"Alright." Quinn said as he disappeared out the bedroom door.

Hermione dressed meticulously, strapping a skinny belt around the sweater, to make it cling to her small frame, pulling on her jeans and looking in the mirror, pulling her brown waves into a loose bun at the nape of her neck.

Finally finishing with a pair of black boots and gold hoop earrings.

When Hermione was dressed, she hurried down the stairs to floo call Ginny, and to make breakfast for her family.

Throwing a handful of green powder into the fireplace, Hermione called "Potter residence!"

Her vision twisted and turned in a thousand directions, then it finally stopped, Seeing a granite backsplash on the opposite wall, with a sink and counter top in front of it. Hermione knew she was looking in on the Potter's kitchen.

"Ginny!" Hermione called.

"What is it?" Came the voice of Ron's sister, Ginny her long red hair was braided down her back and swung back and forth like a pendulum as she came running into the kitchen dressed in sweats and a T-shirt.

"Hey, Gin can you watch the boys today? Quinn and I are going to London" She didn't feel it necessary to tell Ginny what she was really doing, it didn't really matter but Ginny didn't really need to know.

"Yeah sure, are you okay? I saw the article about McGonagall, Harry told me you took it pretty hard." Ginny said, concern etched on her face.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me." Hermione said, smiling.

"Alright. I'm coming in." Ginny said as she stepped through the flames.

Hermione led Ginny through the kitchen door, and started mixing pancake batter, "Thanks for doing this Ginny." Hermione said as she began pouring batter onto the griddle.

"No worries. Where are the boys anyway?"

"Quinn's waking them up now, since we're leaving and Quinn and I will be working tomorrow, we wanted to spend the morning together."

"Well if you and Quinn are both going to be working, who's going to look after the boys?"

"I'm not sure yet, we will have to see how today goes." Hermione said, thinking fast.

"Ahh… so you're interviewing nannies now are you? Because if you are you're really wasting your time, I could always take them you know. " Ginny said, with a wink.

"I know, thanks Gin." Hermione said, and about that time Quinn came down the stairs, with the boys in tow.

"Ginny!" Xavier shouted, sprinting toward her and crawling on her lap.

"Well hey there." Ginny said wrapping him in a hug.

"I missed you." He said, burying his face in her chest.

"Well I've missed you too." She said, stifling a giggle.

"Did you come to play today?" He asked, looking up.

"I sure did, we can play all day if you want." Ginny replied.

"Can we make the couch talk again?" Xavier asked, his eyes gleaming.

Upon hearing this, Quinn's eyeballs looked like they were about to pop out of his head.

"Xavier, did you just ask Ginny to make the couch talk?" Quinn asked, heatedly.

"Yeah Dad, Ginny can do that, she gets behind the couch and makes it talk, I'm not supposed to tell, but it's just pretend." Xavier explained, as if it was the most logical answer.

"Gets behind the couch…behind the couch, just pretend…" Quinn said, trying to wrap his head around this.

"Don't worry Quinn, I don't do anything that you can't do yourself." Ginny said.

"Alright, yeah…okay." Quinn muttered, abashed.

"Okay everybody, let's eat. Hermione said, bringing stacks of pancakes to the table.

"I love you Momma." Xavier said, twenty minutes later when Quinn and Hermione were walking out the door.

"I love you too, be good today." Hermione said, hugging him close.

"Bye Guys." Alexander said, waving to his parents.

"Love you Buddy." Hermione said, kissing the top of his forehead and opening the door.

"Bye Ginny." Quinn said, nodding to her and walking out the door, "Quinn!" Hermione called, following him outside into the cold, "we should drive separate cars follow me out, I know how to get there. If you get lost you can call my phone."

"Okay. Why are we driving separately?" Quinn asked.

"Just in case."

"Alright, fine." Quinn said, climbing into the front seat of his Ford F150 and followed Hermione's red Mazda out the driveway.

Quinn followed Hermione's car, out of Lancaster city limits.

The odometer in Quinn's truck, slowly climbed, towards a hundred miles, Hermione's little red car, remained only feet in front of him.

"What are we doing Hermione?" Quinn whispered to the open air, as the car in front, passed the entrance to St. Mungo's.

Suddenly, as if on cue, Quinn's silver cell phone began to ring loudly, from the passenger seat.

"Hermione, where are we going?" Quinn asked, speaking into the phone.

"Just keep following me, we're almost there. Fair warning though, I don't know what to expect when we get there. I know that you don't exactly approve of my doing this, but please could you Just be nice Quinn? Please , even if you don't like what I'm going to do, just promise me that you will trust me on this." Hermione asked, her voice ringing in Quinn's ear through the phone.

"I'll be nice, I promise, I may not totally understand all of this but I'm not a complete arse, what do you mean 'What you're going to do?' What are you talking about Hermione?"

"Never mind now, we'll be there in a few minutes."

Sure enough, Hermione's car turned down a side road, just a few miles from St Mungo's, into a spacious parking lot, the unlit neon sign, read Golden Arches Motel. Hermione parked her car in a parking place on the end and Quinn parked beside her.

"Hermione, what are we doing here?" Quinn asked, imploringly, as they got out of their cars.

"I'm here to visit Professor McGonagall, you are my wingman." Hermione said, turning towards the motel, the building itself was nothing special, a grey rectangle building with about twenty glass windows on the side, all were covered either with curtains or thick blankets, to ward out all traces of light.

"Come on let's find the front office." Hermione said, taking quick steps towards the building, the heels of her boots clicking loudly on the pavement.

Quinn had no choice but to follow her. "Hermione look." Quinn said, picking up a scrap of paper from the ground.

"What?"

Just look." He said, handing her the paper.

Taking the yellowed parchment, recognizing the writing on the parchment as a portion of her own hand writing.

Love from, Hermione

Hermione fingered the yellowed corners of the torn parchment, the corners and edges were blackened, as if someone had tried to set them on fire, Hermione raised the paper to her nose, and she was enveloped by the strong smell of ash.

"Quinn, Professor McGonagall tried to set my letter on fire. Something is seriously wrong here." Hermione said, panic slowly rising in her voice.

"Alright, Hermione you need to calm down, the office is probably right around here." Quinn grabbed her hand and the pair of them rounded a corner and they came squarely in front of a glass door.

"See, I told you." Quinn said, holding open the door, a bell rung from somewhere in the back, and a young woman came out from the place, between the desk and the wall she looked to be about seventeen.

"What can I do for you?" the girl asked in a board monotone, she didn't wear a nametag, it looked like she had pulled it off, the adhesive backing still remained on her shirt. She had short black hair, streaked with red dye.

"Can you give me the room number for a Minerva McGonagall?" Hermione asked.

"Sorry can't do that." The nameless girl said in that same monotone.

"Look, she's a very good friend of mine and I've heard she's in some sort of trouble-"

"Obviously she isn't that great a friend, or you would know what room she was in, wouldn't you?" The girl said, dryly.

Before Hermione could reply, a voice from the unknown portion of the room "Mindy take a break!" Mindy disappeared into the other side of the room A middle- aged woman with brown hair, came bustling out after Mindy left, her nametag said that her name was Lacy, Lacy took the place behind the desk, "I'm sorry about her, my sister's kid, you know teenagers, did I hear you say you were looking for someone?" She asked, kindly.

"Yes we were actually, Minerva McGonagall." Hermione said.

"Can you tell us if she has a room here?" Quinn asked.

"Afraid I can't, did I hear you say she was in some kind of trouble?" Lacy asked kindly.

"We don't know actually but we are very concerned about her., She's a very dear friend of my wife." Quinn said.

"I'm Quinn Mcclaussen, by the way, and this is my wife, Hermione." Quinn said.

"Lacy Baker." Lacy said, as the three shook hands.

Hermione could have sworn that Quinn's wallet had become a little lighter.

"Listen, I'm going to check the list, but I don't think we have anyone by that name here." Lacy said, pulling out a clip board and scanning it for a moment.

"Nope, sorry, Nobody named Minerva McGonagall is listed here, I'm sorry, I wish I could do more to help."

"Well what about another name, Severus Snape, perhaps?" Quinn asked.

"Now that I think about it, there is someone by that name, but I haven't seen him since he paid for the room. He dropped a woman off and, I haven't seen him since.

"What did the woman look like?" Hermione asked, hope beginning to rise in her chest.

"I've only seen her once, but I'll never forget her, she's a little older, had really dark hair, pretty tall, glasses and she was using a cane. She made it about half way across the parking lot, when the guy, Snape you said, picked her up and carried her in. I was a little worried for her at first, he didn't look like the nicest guy. But he was so gentle towards her it was pretty surprising, although she did put up a pretty good fight, seemed pretty adamant about making it on her own.

"That is defiantly her." Hermione said, "Can you tell us the room number?"

"Room 13 just turn the corner and you'll see it. But I have to warn you, we were starting to wonder if she hadn't gone a bit…" Lacy made a gesture, twirling her pointer finger toward her temple.

"I thought you had only seen her once." Hermione said. Quickly jumping to Minerva's defense.

"Yeah it was just that one time, but I've heard her, saying strange things late at night, sometimes there's screaming." Lacy explained.

"Wow." Hermione said. "I didn't know things were so bad Thank you so much for your help." Hermione said, as she headed towards the door.

"It'll be okay, Hermione." Quinn said, quietly.

"Wait a second" Lacy said, You're Hermione, I have something of yours." Lacy said, pulling a bundle out of the desk and handing it to Hermione, "I found them in the trash, they looked pretty important so I kept them. Good thing you got here when you did, or they would have gone back there, I didn't know what to do with them."

Hermione picked through the bundle of paper, mechanically, Hermione stared past the singe marks and the soot, ash and the strong smell of fire, Hermione was able to recognize experts of her own handwriting.

'Quinn's asked me to marry him! Can you believe it, I am so happy!'

Flipping that piece of paper down, Hermione read the next one.

'Quinn and I had our first fight as a married couple, he doesn't want me using magic, I don't understand. I fear that he hates me.'

Quinn watched as Hermione read page after page, he watched her eyes, fill with tears.

It made him wonder exactly how much of their lives she had told to this mystery woman.

"Quinn, she tried to burn them. But when she couldn't do that, she threw them in the trash!" Hermione, exclaimed. Before bolting out the door, the bell over the door, rang loudly in her wake.

"Hermione, wait!" Quinn shouted, "Thanks for your help." He said turning back to Lacy, before following Hermione outside, practically sprinting down the side walk, pausing every few seconds to read the room number on the door, finally stopping in front of room thirteen.

"What exactly are you planning on doing?" Quinn asked, in a hushed tone, when he caught up with Hermione.

"I'm going to confront her, Quinn, what else can I do?" Hermione asked, hysteria swelling in her voice.

"Just hold on one second, you can't just go in there with both guns blazing, this is a pretty delicate situation."

"Right, whatever." Hermione said, turning towards the door and pounding on it.

"Professor!" Hermione called through the crack in the door.

"Go away, anyone who can still call me, 'Professor' isn't someone I want to talk to." Hermione recognized the voice of , Minerva McGonagall, her voice was rough, and her tone harsh, but Hermione could tell that there was something underneath that gruff exterior.

"Fine then, don't talk." Hermione said, pulling out her wand and casting a silent unlocking spell she put her hand on the doorknob and it turned effortlessly, Quinn didn't follow his wife inside, but she did leave the door ajar.

The scene that met Hermione, as she entered the room, was terrible, there was shattered glass all over the room, covering every open space, excluding the bed, which sat unmade in the corner. Apart from the glass and the few furnishings, which included, a table in the far left corner, that housed a candle in a candlestick that had been melted down to the nub, a hardened pool of red wax sat underneath it. a nightstand next to the bed, a wooden chair and a large dresser that held a TV. The room appeared to be vacant of all human inhabitians. "Professor." Hermione whispered, taking involintarey steps towards the door on the other side of the room, "Professor." Hermione said again, louder this time coming closer to the door that would undoubtedly lead to a bathroom. Hermione's hand closed around the doorknob and she pushed it open, "Oh my God. Quinn!" She screamed. Hermione stood there, a horrified expression etched on her face due to the sight before her, Minerva mcGonagall was sprawled on the bathroom floor, her arm streaming a red puddle on the tile.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning  
> contains graphic violence

WARNING Graphic violence What happened?" Quinn asked slightly panicked, trying to fully take in the scene in front of him. He saw Hermione sitting on the tile floor, surrounded by blood and broken glass. holding a woman in her lap, "Holy crap Hermione, what happened!" Quinn shouted, crossing the room in two long strides his doctor instincts at last, coming to play. "I have no idea, Quinn, you were there. I knocked on the door, Minerva told me to 'get out', I came in anyway and I found her like this! Quinn, she's bleeding, her wrist is bleeding!" Hermione replied, her voice urgent, and panicked despite the watery undertone, Quinn now noticed that Hermione was holding a blood tinged towel to the other woman's arm. "Listen to me Hermione, I need you to go out to my truck and get the black bag from under the drivers seat, and Hurry." Quinn instructed calmly, kneeling down next to Hermione so he could continue with the task of applying pressure to the wound. "Please Quinn, just tell me you can help her." Hermione choked, getting to her feet and heading toward the door. "I won't be able to do anything else without the bag, I have to stop the bleeding and I don't want to risk shoving anymore glass into the wound" Quinn replied, seriously. Looking up at his wife from his place on the floor, while pulling his belt off and tying it around Minerva's arm, forming a tourniquet. An Hour and a half previously Minerva awoke in a cold sweat, images of Albus swimming unceremoniously in her head. His smile, the way his sapphire eyes bore into hers during their many nights alone, when the conversation had run to deep and the silence would be welcome, she remembered everything about him. The way his melodious laughter seemed to fill the room, and how he made her whole world spin a little slower and her sun shine brighter when he looked at her in that special way, the look that made her want to laugh and cry at the same time, as if it had been reserved just for her. Of course Minerva knew now that she would never see him again, she would never see his smile never hear his laugh, she would never again be able to scold him for his otherworldly sugar intake. The thought of this caused an unearthly rage to well up in Minerva's chest. causing her to bolt upright out of the bed, without the aide of the walking stick. She began ripping open the drawer of the dresser, pulling out the now practically empty liquor bottles only the dregs from the whiskey and smoking scotch remained. "Why!" she screamed, hurling a heavy bottle at the wall, effectively shattering it. "I loved you!" She shouted, throwing another bottle. Busted glass now covered every inch of the room, the table, the dresser, everywhere. There was nothing more for Minerva to do in this room and her rage still roared, before she knew it the bathroom door was open and she was standing in front of the mirror, her pitiful reflection shone in the splintered glass. Minerva's chest rose and fell as her anger began to subside, her dark dirty hair hung in limp knots, strands of it clung to her sweating forehead. Minerva lowered herself to sit in the corner of the room, she lowered her head in her hands, ignoring the warm wet feeling that ran down her arm, the knock on the door did nothing to move Minerva from her seat on the bathroom floor, "Go away, anyone who can call me 'Professor' Isn't someone I want to talk to." She said, just loud enough for the person on the other side of the door could hear. " But please don't leave me." She whispered to an empty room. Present time ! "Go. Now." Quinn said, forcefully, trying to snap his wife out of the apparent shock. He saw her blink five or six times, then she tore out the door and into the parking lot. Hermione ran headlong into the parking lot her mind spinning, her hands shook as her fingers groped for the keys. Her hand closed over the key ring after moments of frantic searching, and she ripped open the driver's door. Promptly hitting the back of her head on the steering wheel as she dove under the seat and retrieved the bag. Then she spirited back toward the motel room, her footsteps died when she reached the open door. Quinn was sitting on the bed, next to an unconscious Professor McGonagall, the lampshade had been taken off the lamp that sat on the nightstand, it cast a yellow glow over the room. "Quinn, I can't go in there." Hermione said, looking from Quinn to Professor McGonagall and the bloody towel on the floor, her voice quivering. "Hermione, Love, I know this is hard for you but I still need the bag she's still bleeding pretty bad." Quinn said gently. "I'll just slide it towards you then." "Hermione, there's broken glass everywhere, you can't slide it across the floor." "Alright, when you're right you're right." Hermione said, taking a few deep breaths then carefully walking toward him and handing him the beaten leather satchel her heart pounding in her chest. "Good. Now I need you to do something for me." Quinn said, as if he were speaking to a small child " There isn't enough light in here , even with the lamp on. So I need you to come over here to the other side of the bed, and hold the flashlight so I can see to pull the glass out of her arm." "Why can't you use the smaller one, the one that folds over your ear?" Hermione asked. "Oh that doesn't work, and I didn't pack batteries that size." Quinn said, thinking fast. "Okay." Hermione said, coming over to sit on the other side of her teacher and switching on the flashlight, holding it over Professor McGonagall's arm. Her stomach was still in knots as Quinn bent over the wound, small shards of glass were sticking out of the gash. "Okay, now I need you to hand me a pair of gloves, the tweezers and some disinfectant , on a cotton ball. "Okay." Hermione said, using her glove clad hands to rub an alcohol pad over the tweezers and soaking a cotton ball in it, before handing everything over to Quinn. Quinn worked quickly, careful not to cause anymore glass to fall into the wound as he rubbed the cotton ball around the wound, before he began pulling out the small glass pieces with robotic precision, dropping them into a nearby trashcan. Soon Quinn had stitched the wound closed, it wasn't all that deep, and he turned to Hermione, "Looks like we got here just in time. Are you okay, I know this wasn't exactly what you expected when you thought of coming here." "You're right, it wasn't but I'm okay, it's just…hard to see her like this." She whispered, her voice shaking. "I know, what do you want to do now?" He asked, standing. Hermione remained seated next to her teacher's head, untangling the black knots with gentle tugs of her fingers. "I want you to go home, our children need at least one parent home with them." Hermione said, rising and wrapping her arms around her husband's neck. "What? Are you planning on staying here?" Quinn asked, shock clear in his tone. "Yes I am, after all we did to get here, not to mention what we found when we did, she needs me, Quinn." Hermione said, gazing toward the woman sleeping on the bed. "Are you sure you want to stay here alone?" "Go. Home. Quinn." Hermione said, emphasizing each word. "Alright. Now I see why you wanted to drive separate cars!" Quinn said in that 'I think you're insane' tone. "I'll leave the bag here, just in case you need gloves or any of that stuff you made." "Alright, and for the record, that stuff is called a potion, more specifically for the use of alleviating pain and easing hangovers." Hermione said, her tone matter of fact. "Whatever." Quinn said, staring into her eyes. "Oh and can you do something for me tonight?" She asked, sweetly. "Would you mind installing rails in the bathroom, the one that runs into the guestroom?" She asked, batting her eyelashes. "Um…sure, wait a second…oh hell no!" Quinn said, dragging Hermione out the door. "What the hell are you playing at!" Quinn asked. "Look Quinn, what else am I supposed to do? I can't just leave her here!" "I'll tell you what you can do, right here right now, nothing. Maybe pay for a couple of months here, it can't be that expensive right, but then after that you do nothing! You move on with your life!" Quinn said forcibly, willing his wife to see sense. "I can't do that! Listen, please you said you trusted me, with you going back to work, we need someone to look after the boys and-" "No Hermione, don't even say it the answer is 'No'" "Why? Quinn, why!" "I don't even know this woman! Frankly neither do you! It's obvious she has issues, issues that you cannot fix. I mean for all we know, she was trying to kill herself! So excuse me if I don't want someone with that kind of problem around our children! Or have you just stopped thinking about them!" Quinn said,outraged. "What do you mean I've stopped thinking about them?" "For the past week all you've thought about is her!" Quinn said jerking his head in the direction of the motel room. "You know that's wrong! Now do me a favor, go home to our children! And install some bloody rails in the bathroom!" Hermione turned back to the motel room and surveyed the room around her, apart from the glass that blanketed the room, clothes lay in piles throughout the room, Hermione couldn't tell the difference between the clean and the dirty. She stood there in front of the door staring at the woman on the bed, making sure she was breathing more than anything, Hermione noticed how her clothes seemed to fall off her frail figure. Hermione allowed her gaze to travel to the overflowing trashcan taking note of the half eaten bits of food that were starting to grow fur. Hermione figured she should clean this place up before she left at the very least, she didn't want to sleep in a mess like this. It made her wonder why her former Professor would choose to live that way, but then again, maybe she just couldn't handle it, it seemed like she couldn't handle a lot of things lately. " I'm going fix this." Hermione muttered, before setting off to the front desk in search of cleaning supplies. When Hermione entered the front office, she wasn't at all surprised to see Lacy behind the desk. "So did things go okay between you and your friend?" She asked. "I'm not so sure yet, you wouldn't happen to have any cleaning supplies would you, more specifically bleach?" Hermione asked. "Let me check in the back." Lacy answered as she left the room. Lacy came back a few minutes later, carrying a bucket and several bottles and rags. "May I ask why you need bleach all of a sudden? Did something happen?" Lacy asked. "Um...I'm handling it." Hermione answered. "Alright, let me know if you need anything else." I will. Oh what about some bath towels?" Hermione asked. Lacy handed her a stack of freshly laundered towels and Hermione was out the door and back inside room thirteen, setting to work immediately on the floor in the bathroom. Filling the bucket with hot soapy bleach water. She dipped her gloved hand inside the bucket, scrubbing away all traces of blood tinging the water a rosy pink. After a few minutes of meticulous cleansing Hermione could hear a soft moan coming from the outer room. Hermione instinctively stood up and wiped her hands on a nearby towel, as she rushed into the room and knelt at the side of the bed. "What happened to you my friend? What would ever make you want to end your life?" Hermione whispered, running her fingers through the graying ebony tangles. Her reply came in a slur of words Hermione didn't understand, except one , "Albus" Understanding dawned on Hermione immediately, "Dumbledore, of course, why didn't I see it before." Suddenly Hermione was pulled from her thoughts by an ear piercing, heart stopping scream. She watched helplessly as Minerva flailed around on the bed, still asleep. "Professor" Hermione said, attempting to show her friend respect by calling her by the formal title, even though technically, Minerva was now, no more a teacher than Hermione was. "Professor!" Hermione said again, urgently, trying to awaken the distressed woman from her nightmare. "Oh I can't bear this, Minerva!" Hermione said, her voice slightly raised as her friend continued to thrash. Apparently being addressed by her first name had some effect because the instant the word had fallen of off Hermione's lips, Minerva's eyes had fluttered open. She didn't seem at all surprised to see Hermione sitting at her bedside. "Hermione." Minerva whispered, as she enveloped the young woman in a tight hug. A shocked Hermione felt her self being physically pulled up from her place on the floor, " Oh Professor, I can't breath!" Hermione gasped, as she struggled to her feet so she was now level with Minerva. "Professor, you don't seem all that surprised to see me." Hermione said, after Minerva finally released her. "I'm not, I heard you talking but I wasn't sure if I was just hallucinating." Minerva explained, sitting up, with more than a little difficulty and reaching toward the bedside table and switching on the lamp. "I can promise you that you are not hallucinating." Hermione replied, speaking towards Minerva's back, since Minerva was still attempting to turn the knob on the lamp, Hermione, took notice of her friends struggle she stood up and came around the side of the bed, and switching on the lamp, illuminating the room in a ripple of yellow light. "Thank you." Minerva said, as her eyes fell on Hermione's bloodstained clothes. "Hermione, you're covered in blood!" Minerva gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. "Oh right." Hermione said, offhandedly, Hermione wasn't surprised to see the scarlet stains on her jeans, considering that she had been scrubbing them off the floor not hours before " And that doesn't strike you as odd in any way whatsoever?" Minerva asked, mystified. "Not really...considering what I was doing before I came in here." Hermione replied simply. "What exactly were you doing before?" "Professor, I mean no disrespect but just look around you." Hermione instructed. Minerva's eyes darted throughout the room, taking in the scene, she remained silent for a moment, trying to remember the last three hours. "Hermione, do you know what happened in here?", Minerva asked, just above a whisper. "Things were exactly like this when I got here, I don't know how or when the room was destroyed." Hermione answered, glumly. The pair stayed silent, both trying to sift through their thoughts, Hermione knew that something was amiss with her friend, Hermione had spent enough time with Minerva to know that it wasn't like her to be so docile, so gloomy, Hermione knew that she missed Albus terribly but that was no reason for Minerva to attempt suicide. Minerva allowed her eyes to travel once more throughout the room, trying desperately to remember what had happened to her room, but to no avail, her mind simply remained clouded with questions it was high time she got some answers. "How long have you been here, Hermione?" Minerva asked, not unkindly but being direct always seemed to work for her. "A couple of hours now, but you told me to 'get out' so I'm not sure what I was thinking by staying, but I wanted to check and make sure you were okay but...now that I know you are, I guess I'll be going." Hermione answered hurriedly, standing up she didn't want to intrude. "Now just hold on one second, Miss Granger I'm grateful for your concern but I don't remember ever telling you to 'get out'." Minerva answered, perplexed, surely Hermione wouldn't be playing tricks on her mind. " Professor, are you telling me that you don't remember, you seriously don't remember?" Hermione asked, deeply concerned if she was at all uncertain before, Hermione knew now that something was very wrong with Minerva, very wrong indeed. "No I don't Hermione, would you care to fill in the blanks?" "Well Profess-" "Hermione, since I am no longer your professor, or anyone else's for that matter, could you drop the title and just call me Minerva, teachers, present and former, are human too you know." Minerva said, talking over Hermione. "Sure Profess- er Minerva, well, when I got here I nearly slapped the the teenager at the front desk, for not giving me your room number. Then Quinn bribed another woman, a manager I suspect then she told me where you were then when I knocked on the door you told me to leave, as I said before. Then I let myself in and I found you on the bathroom floor, surrounded by blood and broken glass. Apparently you had cut your wrist badly, Quinn stitched you up, oh would you look at that, you really don't care about that last bit do you?" Hermione said, sarcasm leaking through in the last sentence even though her voice broke. "Oh my word Hermione, I know what you're thinking and I want you to know that-" Minerva began before Hermione interrupted jumping to her feet and crossing the room she shouted, "That what! You want me to know what, that you tried to kill yourself, well guess what it doesn't take a genius to figure that one out! What I want to know is why, what was so horrible that you even thought about ending your life, much less attempting to do so and why didn't you tell me! If you couldn't talk to me, then why couldn't you talk to somebody else, Madam Pomfrey, Snape, Mrs. Weasley, the portrait of Dumbledore? At the mention of Albus, Minerva had to swallow the knot that had arisen in her throat. Did you know it was Mrs. Weasley who lost her son, not her job but nobody's found her half dead." Hermione stated coolly, her eyes glistening. "Are you finished now?" Minerva asked, then without waiting for a reply, she continued, "Now as I was trying to explain, before you so rudely interrupted me, might I add, that I in fact was not trying to kill myself, nor do I plan to." Hermione sighed in relief, "Oh thank God! I'm sorry I blew up like that, it's just-" Hermione then dissolved into silent tears. "Just what Hermione?" Minerva asked gently. "Just that when I asked you to come for Christmas you wrote to me and said you were going to Greece, which wouldn't have bothered me so much had I not seen Rita Skeeter's article in the Prophet." Then before Hermione could stop herself she said, "Then I spoke to Snape and he brought me here. He said they found alcohol in your desk at Hogwarts and I was worried so I came back here. " Hermione said, quickly covering her mouth with her hand she blushed a deep red. "And then when you arrived here, you found me surrounded by glass and bleeding." Minerva finished, looking slightly unsettled, tears shining in her turquoise eyes. "I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that, all because of me." Minerva said, carefully crossing the room in her stocking feet. She made it about halfway when Hermione crossed the gap between them, Minerva wrapped her arms around her young friend, letting a few tears, that came without provocation, slip down her cheeks and land in Hermione's hair. After a few moments of nothing but the occasional shuddering gasp for breath, or choked sob, to fill the silence, Minerva released Hermione from her grasp. She, Minerva somehow felt ten years older, almost like the sudden tidal wave of emotion had aged her very soul. "Feel better?" Hermione asked, placing a concerned hand on Minerva's shoulder. "Slightly but I could really use a drink, something to calm the nerves." Minerva replied, turning around on the bed, to avoid stepping on anymore broken glass and reaching towards the drawer on on the bedside table. Emerging seconds later with a nearly empty bottle of smoking scotch, and two glasses. She poured a heavy measure of the smoky colored liquid into a glass, and handed it to Hermione. Who gratefully accepted, knocking back about half the measure in one go. Then she caught on to what Minerva was trying to do which caused Hermione to drop the half empty glass. "Oh no you don't." Hermione said shrewdly, summoning the bottle and the second glass with her wand, right out of Minerva's hand, and walking into the bathroom. "What are you doing!" Minerva shouted, semi hysterical. "Helping you." Hermione replied, though the open door, as she turned up the bottle. "No you're not, what you're doing isn't helping anyone! " Minerva shouted, as Hermione stood at the sink, pouring the offending liquid down the drain, which caused an ugly black cloud of smoke to waft around Hermione's face. "Look, you've got to kick the habit, if you want to 'relax your nerves' as you say, then take a shower, or a bubble bath like most people." Hermione replied, tersely. Stepping away from the sink and clearing away the bloody mess on the floor with another wave of her wand. "Now see here Miss Granger, I am perfectly capable of looking after myself, and as for my 'habit' perhaps I do not wish to 'kick it' as you say!" Minerva replied, a very slight hint of her usual brusque manner returning, Minerva knew that she wouldn't normally lose patience with Hermione but the girl was being infuriating, I can look after myself! Minerva thought bitterly, looking around at her glass covered surroundings. Wishing desperately that she could have cleared the mess away with a wave of her wand. Hermione smiled to herself, Minerva was slowly becoming herself again, or at least the side that Hermione knew, that had to count for something. All this after just a couple of hours, imagine what a few weeks would do! This thought fueled Hermione as she stepped out of the bathroom. "I am appalled at you, Miss Granger! I don't know who you think you are but you cannot just come in here and dispose of things you find unfitting!" Minerva stated, her voice raised. "Just trying to help." Hermione replied, in a mock innocent tone, totally ignoring Minerva's tone. "Well you can stop now." Minerva replied gruffly. Hermione laughed. "I don't think it was all that funny Miss Granger." Minerva said. "You do realize of course, that I'm married, and I have children and yet you still call me 'Miss Granger'" Hermione replied. "And you find that strange, less than an hour ago you were calling me 'Professor' what's the difference?" Minerva asked. "Nothing I guess, do you think we could drop the formalities and go by our first names?" Hermione asked. "Okay Hermione, so on to the specific's, how's the family?" Minerva asked, she hoped that this visit wouldn't be like the last time Hermione had come to visit Hogwarts. Which was after she had married Quinn, Hermione had only been able to stay a few hours, having been heavily pregnant at the time, then she left. Of course many letters had come over the four and a half year stretch, but it wasn't the same. Hermione's physical absence from her life had left Minerva cold and lonely. Now she yearned to know Hermione's family. Hoping of course that they wanted to know her as well. "The boys are doing really well, they're all into trains now." Hermione said, "Quinn's taken them on the muggle underground a few times and they go absolutely mad!" "Well then I'm sure they will be thrilled with the Hogwarts Express. Tell me, are your sons exhibiting signs of magic yet?" Minerva asked, eager. "Well..about Hogwarts, Quinn and have talked about it, and we really don't want Alexander and Xavier going to Hogwarts, and at this rate I really don't think we're going to have to worry about that anyway. This glass is driving me crazy." Hermione explained. As she began clearing away the shards of glass with her wand, at least ten whiskey bottles began materializing where the fragments used to be. "Minerva, are all these bottles yours?" Hermione asked, throwing all sensitivity out the window. "You don't understand Hermione, it hurts to bad, the liquor , it deadens the pain, it just hurts so bad that I can't bear it." Minerva said, tears falling once again. "What hurts?" Hermione asked, pulling Minerva to her once again. " Your chest, from the stunners?" "Everything." Minerva whispered. Right then, Hermione knew what she meant, Minerva was suffering from a broken heart and a beaten body.


	9. Chapter 9

Upon hearing Hermione's high pitched scream, Quinn bolted through the half open door, "Hermione! What happened?" Quinn asked slightly panicked, trying to fully take in the scene in front of him. He saw Hermione sitting on the tile floor, surrounded by blood and broken glass. holding a woman in her lap, "Holy crap Hermione, what happened!" Quinn shouted, crossing the room in two long strides his doctor instincts at last, coming to play.

"I have no idea, Quinn, you were there. I knocked on the door, Minerva told me to 'get out', I came in anyway and I found her like this! Quinn, she's bleeding, her wrist is bleeding!" Hermione replied, her voice urgent, and panicked despite the watery undertone, Quinn now noticed that Hermione was holding a blood tinged towel to the other woman's arm.

"Listen to me Hermione, I need you to go out to my truck and get the black bag from under the drivers seat, and Hurry." Quinn instructed calmly, kneeling down next to Hermione so he could continue with the task of applying pressure to the wound.

"Please Quinn, just tell me you can help her." Hermione choked, getting to her feet and heading toward the door.

"I won't be able to do anything else without the bag, I have to stop the bleeding and I don't want to risk shoving anymore glass into the wound"

Quinn replied, seriously. Looking up at his wife from his place on the floor, while pulling his belt off and tying it around Minerva's arm, forming a tourniquet.

An Hour and a half previously

Minerva awoke in a cold sweat, images of Albus swimming unceremoniously in her head. His smile, the way his sapphire eyes bore into hers during their many nights alone, when the conversation had run to deep and the silence would be welcome, she remembered everything about him. The way his melodious laughter seemed to fill the room, and how he made her whole world spin a little slower and her sun shine brighter when he looked at her in that special way, the look that made her want to laugh and cry at the same time, as if it had been reserved just for her.

Of course Minerva knew now that she would never see him again, she would never see his smile never hear his laugh, she would never again be able to scold him for his otherworldly sugar intake. The thought of this caused an unearthly rage to well up in Minerva's chest. causing her to bolt upright out of the bed, without the aide of the walking stick. She began ripping open the drawer of the dresser, pulling out the now practically empty liquor bottles only the dregs from the whiskey and smoking scotch remained.

"Why!" she screamed, hurling a heavy bottle at the wall, effectively shattering it.

"I loved you!" She shouted, throwing another bottle. Busted glass now covered every inch of the room, the table, the dresser, everywhere. There was nothing more for Minerva to do in this room and her rage still roared, before she knew it the bathroom door was open and she was standing in front of the mirror, her pitiful reflection shone in the splintered glass. Minerva's chest rose and fell as her anger began to subside, her dark dirty hair hung in limp knots, strands of it clung to her sweating forehead. Minerva lowered herself to sit in the corner of the room, she lowered her head in her hands, ignoring the warm wet feeling that ran down her arm, the knock on the door did nothing to move Minerva from her seat on the bathroom floor, "Go away, anyone who can call me 'Professor' Isn't someone I want to talk to." She said, just loud enough for the person on the other side of the door could hear.

" But please don't leave me." She whispered to an empty room.

Present time

!

"Go. Now." Quinn said, forcefully, trying to snap his wife out of the apparent shock.

He saw her blink five or six times, then she tore out the door and into the parking lot.

Hermione ran headlong into the parking lot her mind spinning, her hands shook as her fingers groped for the keys. Her hand closed over the key ring after moments of frantic searching, and she ripped open the driver's door. Promptly hitting the back of her head on the steering wheel as she dove under the seat and retrieved the bag. Then she spirited back toward the motel room, her footsteps died when she reached the open door. Quinn was sitting on the bed, next to an unconscious Professor McGonagall, the lampshade had been taken off the lamp that sat on the nightstand, it cast a yellow glow over the room.

"Quinn, I can't go in there." Hermione said, looking from Quinn to Professor McGonagall and the bloody towel on the floor, her voice quivering.

"Hermione, Love, I know this is hard for you but I still need the bag she's still bleeding pretty bad." Quinn said gently.

"I'll just slide it towards you then."

"Hermione, there's broken glass everywhere, you can't slide it across the floor."

"Alright, when you're right you're right." Hermione said, taking a few deep breaths then carefully walking toward him and handing him the beaten leather satchel her heart pounding in her chest.

"Good. Now I need you to do something for me." Quinn said, as if he were speaking to a small child " There isn't enough light in here , even with the lamp on. So I need you to come over here to the other side of the bed, and hold the flashlight so I can see to pull the glass out of her arm."

"Why can't you use the smaller one, the one that folds over your ear?" Hermione asked.

"Oh that doesn't work, and I didn't pack batteries that size." Quinn said, thinking fast.

"Okay." Hermione said, coming over to sit on the other side of her teacher and switching on the flashlight, holding it over Professor McGonagall's arm. Her stomach was still in knots as Quinn bent over the wound, small shards of glass were sticking out of the gash.

"Okay, now I need you to hand me a pair of gloves, the tweezers and some disinfectant , on a cotton ball.

"Okay." Hermione said, using her glove clad hands to rub an alcohol pad over the tweezers and soaking a cotton ball in it, before handing everything over to Quinn.

Quinn worked quickly, careful not to cause anymore glass to fall into the wound as he rubbed the cotton ball around the wound, before he began pulling out the small glass pieces with robotic precision, dropping them into a nearby trashcan. Soon Quinn had stitched the wound closed, it wasn't all that deep, and he turned to Hermione, "Looks like we got here just in time. Are you okay, I know this wasn't exactly what you expected when you thought of coming here."

"You're right, it wasn't but I'm okay, it's just…hard to see her like this." She whispered, her voice shaking.

"I know, what do you want to do now?" He asked, standing.

Hermione remained seated next to her teacher's head, untangling the black knots with gentle tugs of her fingers.

"I want you to go home, our children need at least one parent home with them." Hermione said, rising and wrapping her arms around her husband's neck.

"What? Are you planning on staying here?" Quinn asked, shock clear in his tone.

"Yes I am, after all we did to get here, not to mention what we found when we did, she needs me, Quinn." Hermione said, gazing toward the woman sleeping on the bed.

"Are you sure you want to stay here alone?"

"Go. Home. Quinn." Hermione said, emphasizing each word.

"Alright. Now I see why you wanted to drive separate cars!" Quinn said in that 'I think you're insane' tone. "I'll leave the bag here, just in case you need gloves or any of that stuff you made."

"Alright, and for the record, that stuff is called a potion, more specifically for the use of alleviating pain and easing hangovers." Hermione said, her tone matter of fact.

"Whatever." Quinn said, staring into her eyes.

"Oh and can you do something for me tonight?" She asked, sweetly. "Would you mind installing rails in the bathroom, the one that runs into the guestroom?" She asked, batting her eyelashes.

"Um…sure, wait a second…oh hell no!" Quinn said, dragging Hermione out the door.

"What the hell are you playing at!" Quinn asked.

"Look Quinn, what else am I supposed to do? I can't just leave her here!"

"I'll tell you what you can do, right here right now, nothing. Maybe pay for a couple of months here, it can't be that expensive right, but then after that you do nothing! You move on with your life!" Quinn said forcibly, willing his wife to see sense.

"I can't do that! Listen, please you said you trusted me, with you going back to work, we need someone to look after the boys and-"

"No Hermione, don't even say it the answer is 'No'"

"Why? Quinn, why!"

"I don't even know this woman! Frankly neither do you! It's obvious she has issues, issues that you cannot fix. I mean for all we know, she was trying to kill herself! So excuse me if I don't want someone with that kind of problem around our children! Or have you just stopped thinking about them!" Quinn said,outraged.

"What do you mean I've stopped thinking about them?"

"For the past week all you've thought about is her!" Quinn said jerking his head in the direction of the motel room.

"You know that's wrong! Now do me a favor, go home to our children! And install some bloody rails in the bathroom!"

Hermione turned back to the motel room and surveyed the room around her, apart from the glass that blanketed the room, clothes lay in piles throughout the room, Hermione couldn't tell the difference between the clean and the dirty. She

stood there in front of the door staring at the woman on the bed, making sure she was breathing more than anything, Hermione noticed how her clothes seemed to fall off her frail figure. Hermione allowed her gaze to travel to the overflowing trashcan taking note of the half eaten bits of food that were starting to grow fur.

Hermione figured she should clean this place up before she left at the very least, she didn't want to sleep in a mess like this. It made her wonder why her former Professor would choose to live that way, but then again, maybe she just couldn't handle it, it seemed like she couldn't handle a lot of things lately.

" I'm going fix this." Hermione muttered, before setting off to the front desk in search of cleaning supplies.

When Hermione entered the front office, she wasn't at all surprised to see Lacy behind the desk.

"So did things go okay between you and your friend?" She asked.

"I'm not so sure yet, you wouldn't happen to have any cleaning supplies would you, more specifically bleach?" Hermione asked.

"Let me check in the back." Lacy answered as she left the room.

Lacy came back a few minutes later, carrying a bucket and several bottles and rags.

"May I ask why you need bleach all of a sudden? Did something happen?" Lacy asked.

"Um...I'm handling it." Hermione answered.

"Alright, let me know if you need anything else."

I will. Oh what about some bath towels?" Hermione asked.

Lacy handed her a stack of freshly laundered towels and Hermione was out the door and back inside room thirteen, setting to work immediately on the floor in the bathroom.

Filling the bucket with hot soapy bleach water. She dipped her gloved hand inside the bucket, scrubbing away all traces of blood tinging the water a rosy pink. After a few minutes of meticulous cleansing Hermione could hear a soft moan coming from the outer room.

Hermione instinctively stood up and wiped her hands on a nearby towel, as she rushed into the room and knelt at the side of the bed.

"What happened to you my friend? What would ever make you want to end your life?" Hermione whispered, running her fingers through the graying ebony tangles.

Her reply came in a slur of words Hermione didn't understand, except one , "Albus"

Understanding dawned on Hermione immediately, "Dumbledore, of course, why didn't I see it before."

Suddenly Hermione was pulled from her thoughts by an ear piercing, heart stopping scream. She watched helplessly as Minerva flailed around on the bed, still asleep.

"Professor" Hermione said, attempting to show her friend respect by calling her by the formal title, even though technically, Minerva was now, no more a teacher than Hermione was.

"Professor!" Hermione said again, urgently, trying to awaken the distressed woman from her nightmare.

"Oh I can't bear this, Minerva!" Hermione said, her voice slightly raised as her friend continued to thrash.

Apparently being addressed by her first name had some effect because the instant the word had fallen of off Hermione's lips, Minerva's eyes had fluttered open. She didn't seem at all surprised to see Hermione sitting at her bedside.

"Hermione." Minerva whispered, as she enveloped the young woman in a tight hug.

A shocked Hermione felt her self being physically pulled up from her place on the floor, " Oh Professor, I can't breath!" Hermione gasped, as she struggled to her feet so she was now level with Minerva.

"Professor, you don't seem all that surprised to see me." Hermione said, after Minerva finally released her.

"I'm not, I heard you talking but I wasn't sure if I was just hallucinating." Minerva explained, sitting up, with more than a little difficulty and reaching toward the bedside table and switching on the lamp.

"I can promise you that you are not hallucinating." Hermione replied, speaking towards Minerva's back, since Minerva was still attempting to turn the knob on the lamp, Hermione, took notice of her friends struggle she stood up and came around the side of the bed, and switching on the lamp, illuminating the room in a ripple of yellow light.

"Thank you." Minerva said, as her eyes fell on Hermione's bloodstained clothes. "Hermione, you're covered in blood!" Minerva gasped, covering her mouth with her hands.

"Oh right." Hermione said, offhandedly, Hermione wasn't surprised to see the scarlet stains on her jeans, considering that she had been scrubbing them off the floor not hours before

" And that doesn't strike you as odd in any way whatsoever?" Minerva asked, mystified.

"Not really...considering what I was doing before I came in here." Hermione replied simply.

"What exactly were you doing before?"

"Professor, I mean no disrespect but just look around you." Hermione instructed.

Minerva's eyes darted throughout the room, taking in the scene, she remained silent for a moment, trying to remember the last three hours.

"Hermione, do you know what happened in here?", Minerva asked, just above a whisper.

"Things were exactly like this when I got here, I don't know how or when the room was destroyed." Hermione answered, glumly.

The pair stayed silent, both trying to sift through their thoughts, Hermione knew that something was amiss with her friend, Hermione had spent enough time with Minerva to know that it wasn't like her to be so docile, so gloomy, Hermione knew that she missed Albus terribly but that was no reason for Minerva to attempt suicide.

Minerva allowed her eyes to travel once more throughout the room, trying desperately to remember what had happened to her room, but to no avail, her mind simply remained clouded with questions it was high time she got some answers.

"How long have you been here, Hermione?" Minerva asked, not unkindly but being direct always seemed to work for her.

"A couple of hours now, but you told me to 'get out' so I'm not sure what I was thinking by staying, but I wanted to check and make sure you were okay but...now that I know you are, I guess I'll be going." Hermione answered hurriedly, standing up she didn't want to intrude.

"Now just hold on one second, Miss Granger I'm grateful for your concern but I don't remember ever telling you to 'get out'." Minerva answered, perplexed, surely Hermione wouldn't be playing tricks on her mind.

" Professor, are you telling me that you don't remember, you seriously don't remember?" Hermione asked, deeply concerned if she was at all uncertain before, Hermione knew now that something was very wrong with Minerva, very wrong indeed.

"No I don't Hermione, would you care to fill in the blanks?"

"Well Profess-"

"Hermione, since I am no longer your professor, or anyone else's for that matter, could you drop the title and just call me Minerva, teachers, present and former, are human too you know." Minerva said, talking over Hermione.

"Sure Profess- er Minerva, well,

when I got here I nearly slapped the the teenager at the front desk, for not giving me your room number. Then Quinn bribed another woman, a manager I suspect then she told me where you were then when I knocked on the door you told me to leave, as I said before. Then I let myself in and I found you on the bathroom floor, surrounded by blood and broken glass. Apparently you had cut your wrist badly, Quinn stitched you up, oh would you look at that, you really don't care about that last bit do you?" Hermione said, sarcasm leaking through in the last sentence even though her voice broke.

"Oh my word Hermione, I know what you're thinking and I want you to know that-"

Minerva began before Hermione interrupted jumping to her feet and crossing the room she shouted,

"That what! You want me to know what, that you tried to kill yourself, well guess what it doesn't take a genius to figure that one out! What I want to know is why, what was so horrible that you even thought about ending your life, much less attempting to do so and why didn't you tell me! If you couldn't talk to me, then why couldn't you talk to somebody else, Madam Pomfrey, Snape, Mrs. Weasley, the portrait of

Dumbledore?

At the mention of Albus, Minerva had to swallow the knot that had arisen in her throat.

Did you know it was Mrs. Weasley who lost her son, not her job but nobody's found her half dead." Hermione stated coolly, her eyes glistening.

"Are you finished now?" Minerva asked, then without waiting for a reply, she continued,

"Now as I was trying to explain, before you so rudely interrupted me, might I add, that I in fact was not trying to kill myself, nor do I plan to."

Hermione sighed in relief, "Oh thank God! I'm sorry I blew up like that, it's just-" Hermione then dissolved into silent tears.

"Just what Hermione?" Minerva asked gently.

"Just that when I asked you to come for Christmas you wrote to me and said you were going to Greece, which wouldn't have bothered me so much had I not seen Rita Skeeter's article in the Prophet." Then before Hermione could stop herself she said, "Then I spoke to Snape and he brought me here. He said they found alcohol in your desk at Hogwarts and I was worried so I came back here. " Hermione said, quickly covering her mouth with her hand she blushed a deep red.

"And then when you arrived here, you found me surrounded by glass and bleeding." Minerva finished, looking slightly unsettled, tears shining in her turquoise eyes.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that, all because of me." Minerva said, carefully crossing the room in her stocking feet. She made it about halfway when Hermione crossed the gap between them, Minerva wrapped her arms around her young friend, letting a few tears, that came without provocation, slip down her cheeks and land in Hermione's hair.

After a few moments of nothing but the occasional shuddering gasp for breath, or choked sob, to fill the silence, Minerva released Hermione from her grasp. She, Minerva somehow felt ten years older, almost like the sudden tidal wave of emotion had aged her very soul.

"Feel better?" Hermione asked, placing a concerned hand on Minerva's shoulder.

"Slightly but I could really use a drink, something to calm the nerves." Minerva replied, turning around on the bed, to avoid stepping on anymore broken glass and reaching towards the drawer on on the bedside table. Emerging seconds later with a nearly empty bottle of smoking scotch, and two glasses.

She poured a heavy measure of the smoky colored liquid into a glass, and handed it to Hermione. Who gratefully accepted, knocking back about half the measure in one go. Then she caught on to what Minerva was trying to do which caused Hermione to drop the half empty glass.

"Oh no you don't." Hermione said shrewdly, summoning the bottle and the second glass with her wand, right out of Minerva's hand, and walking into the bathroom.

"What are you doing!" Minerva shouted, semi hysterical.

"Helping you." Hermione replied, though the open door, as she turned up the bottle.

"No you're not, what you're doing isn't helping anyone! " Minerva shouted, as Hermione stood at the sink, pouring the offending liquid down the drain, which caused an ugly black cloud of smoke to waft around Hermione's face.

"Look, you've got to kick the habit, if you want to 'relax your nerves' as you say, then take a shower, or a bubble bath like most people." Hermione replied, tersely.

Stepping away from the sink and clearing away the bloody mess on the floor with another wave of her wand.

"Now see here Miss Granger, I am perfectly capable of looking after myself, and as for my 'habit' perhaps I do not wish to 'kick it' as you say!" Minerva replied, a very slight hint of her usual brusque manner returning, Minerva knew that she wouldn't normally lose patience with Hermione but the girl was being infuriating, I can look after myself! Minerva thought bitterly, looking around at her glass covered surroundings. Wishing desperately that she could have cleared the mess away with a wave of her wand.

Hermione smiled to herself, Minerva was slowly becoming herself again, or at least the side that Hermione knew, that had to count for something. All this after just a couple of hours, imagine what a few weeks would do! This thought fueled Hermione as she stepped out of the bathroom.

"I am appalled at you, Miss Granger! I don't know who you think you are but you cannot just come in here and dispose of things you find unfitting!" Minerva stated, her voice raised.

"Just trying to help." Hermione replied, in a mock innocent tone, totally ignoring Minerva's tone.

"Well you can stop now." Minerva replied gruffly.

Hermione laughed.

"I don't think it was all that funny Miss Granger." Minerva said.

"You do realize of course, that I'm married, and I have children and yet you still call me 'Miss Granger'" Hermione replied.

"And you find that strange, less than an hour ago you were calling me 'Professor' what's the difference?" Minerva asked.

"Nothing I guess, do you think we could drop the formalities and go by our first names?" Hermione asked.

"Okay Hermione, so on to the specific's, how's the family?" Minerva asked, she hoped that this visit wouldn't be like the last time Hermione had come to visit Hogwarts. Which was after she had married Quinn, Hermione had only been able to stay a few hours, having been heavily pregnant at the time, then she left. Of course many letters had come over the four and a half year stretch, but it wasn't the same. Hermione's physical absence from her life had left Minerva cold and lonely. Now she yearned to know Hermione's family. Hoping of course that they wanted to know her as well.

"The boys are doing really well, they're all into trains now." Hermione said, "Quinn's taken them on the muggle underground a few times and they go absolutely mad!"

"Well then I'm sure they will be thrilled with the Hogwarts Express. Tell me, are your sons exhibiting signs of magic yet?" Minerva asked, eager.

"Well…about Hogwarts, Quinn and have talked about it, and we really don't want Alexander and Xavier going to Hogwarts, and at this rate I really don't think we're going to have to worry about that anyway. This glass is driving me crazy." Hermione explained. As she began clearing away the shards of glass with her wand, at least ten whiskey bottles began materializing where the fragments used to be.

"Minerva, are all these bottles yours?" Hermione asked, throwing all sensitivity out the window.

"You don't understand Hermione, it hurts to bad, the liquor , it deadens the pain, it just hurts so bad that I can't bear it." Minerva said, tears falling once again.

"What hurts?" Hermione asked, pulling Minerva to her once again. " Your chest, from the stunners?"

"Everything." Minerva whispered.

Right then, Hermione knew what she meant, Minerva was suffering from a broken heart and a beaten body.


	10. Chapter 10

Severus Snape bursts into his office, a permanent scowl etched in his features. For the second time in two days, he was being bombarded with calls from former Gryffindor students. He had assumed that after they had graduated, he would no longer be bothered by them.

"What do you want?" He barked, glaring at the red-haired Ginny Weasley, who was currently hanging out of the green flames in his fireplace.

"It is apparent that my judgment was rather hasty when I assumed that after you lot had completed your studies, I would no longer be bothered by you!" Snape spat.

"Hey, don't shoot the messenger, I don't want to be here anymore than you want me here." Ginny replied, crossing her arms over her chest, "But I just heard from Hermione. Minerva needs you, she went to see her today. And apparently things didn't go as planned." Ginny finished.

Severus had to suppress a groan, if Hermione was with Minerva, than Hermione had to have told Minerva that he had brought her to the motel. A chill shot down Severus's spine when he thought of the tongue lashing he was sure to endure at the hands of Minerva.

"Alright fine, I'm coming through." He replied. And within seconds, he was standing in the Mcclaussen's living room, he completely ignored the look of outrage written on Quinn's face. "What the hell!" Quinn exclaimed.

"Silence muggle!" Severus hissed, as he marching through the living room and stormed out the back door. Then in a flash, he was standing in the parking lot of The Golden Arches motel, right in front of room number thirteen.

He cast a silent unlocking charm on the doorknob, he knew that all muggle motel rooms locked themselves automatically upon closing. Severus had to take a moment to prepare himself to face the wrath of Minerva. So he pulled the door slightly ajar and peered inside, he needed to know what he was dealing with. What he saw, shocked him to his very core and it wasn't easy to unsettle Severus Snape.

Minerva was seated at the foot of the bed, her hair looked slightly damp, like she had recently showered. Tears were streaming down her face and she was rocking back and forth with a bottle clenched tightly between shaking hands. Hermione was seated next to her trying to force a brush through the thick inky tresses.

Hermione sat on the floor next to Minerva, trying to comfort her as she sobbed uncontrollably. She didn't know what else to do apart from waiting for Minerva to calm down enough to speak coherently she knew that it wouldn't do anybody any good to try and take the half full bottle of Firewhisky away from Minerva, as long as she didn't drink it there was no harm in letting Minerva hold it. "I've failed." Minerva said, her voice thick with tears.

"No-" Hermione started, before she was interrupted, Severus Snape had just walked through the door.

"What happened!" He barked at Hermione. Although his face was the cold hard mask, beneath it was a deep hot pool of guilt.

"Nothing, everything was fine, then she took a shower and we were talking and she started saying how she failed everyone." Hermione replied hoping desperately that Severus would believe her.

"How was she when you got here?" Severus asked, his concern growing.

"Passed out, when we found her she had somehow cut her arm, Quinn stitched her up. Then she woke up not long after and we talked, she took a shower and then she just snapped." Hermione explained.

"Do you think that whatever happened before you arrived, could have been an attempt at suicide?"

Before Hermione had a chance to reply, another, more broken voice interrupted, "No. It wasn't but it should have been." Minerva sobbed, covering her face with her hands.

Severus was still in a state of shock, as he knelt down to face her. Gone was the strong dowager-esque Minerva McGonagall to be replaced with a weepy, broken and probably drunken woman that he knew not of.

"Minerva, look at me." Severus demanded, forcing a hand under her chin and roughly prying her hands away from her face so she had no choice but to look him in the eye.

"Oh Severus." Minerva whispered. Looking at him like she had never seen him before.

"No. Don't you 'oh Severus' me Minerva McGonagall. You've depended on me for far to long, Minerva and it's high time you grew up." Severus spat, his temper ruling out over anything else he may of may not have felt at that moment.

What a way to handle things Severus. He scolded himself, he couldn't believe that he had just told Minerva McGonagall to 'grow up' And if he was being honest with himself he would know that he didn't even know what he meant when he'd said it. But the words had crossed his lips and that was all that mattered.

Suddenly Minerva was on her feet, the bottle of Firewhisky lay abandoned on the floor.

Minerva was standing directly in front of Severus, he was taller than her but not by more than a few inches.

"How dare you hold your own self righteous good deeds over my head, Severus Snape! As far as I'm concerned you're the soul reason I'm here in the first place!" Minerva shrieked, tears streaming down her cheeks unhindered.

"Yes Minerva, I am the reason your here, I paid for the room." Severus replied dryly.

It took Minerva a moment for Severus's words to fully sink in, her mind felt slow and sluggish but oddly clear at the same time. It was a very strange sensation. But when his hurtful words finally sank in, Minerva just got mad her entire body was shaking as she drew herself up to her full height and slapped Severus right across his face Her wedding band left a near permanent indention in his right cheek.

"I suppose I did deserve that." Severus replied wryly, Rubbing his face in annoyance.

Minerva was beside herself, Severus had just told her to 'grow up' and then she had slapped him, she had resorted to physical violence yet again. And yet, she couldn't understand what had made her do it. She had to turn away from him, she couldn't bear to see the scarlet hand print she had made.

"Wasn't that the reason you lost your place at Hogwarts in the first place?" said the sly voice in her head.

She tried to push that thought down, she knew that she didn't really blame Severus for her actions it wasn't really Severus's fault that she had flipped out and hit Sybil Trelawney, it wasn't like Severus bought her the innumerable bottles of alcohol and forced her to drink it. But blaming him gave her an answer to the unanswerable, "Why."

"Why what, Minerva?" Came Hermione's gentle voice, effectively jarring Minerva from her thoughts, she hadn't realized she had spoken aloud until she noticed that Hermione was standing at her side.

"Why what?" Hermione asked again, her voice was louder but her tone remained gentle.

"Nothing is right anymore. I'm not right anymore." Minerva whispered, more to herself than to Hermione.

"Minerva, what are you talking about, of course your-" Hermione replied, before she was cut off by Minerva.

"I'm not! I'm not me, this isn't me! I don't know who I am anymore! " she cried, more tears rolling down her cheeks.

Suddenly Minerva's tirade of emotions was cut short by a sudden wave of dizziness that caused her to lose her footing and nearly fall to the floor. Hermione instinctively reached out to steady her older friend. Severus saw this a look of slight panic in his eye as he took hold of Minerva's upper arm and helped Hermione lead her to the bed.

Once Minerva was safely seated on the bed, Severus knelt down and plucked her hand from her lap and placed his fingers of his left hand to the inside of her wrist. While intently studying his wrist watch.

"Minerva, you need to eat." Severus said, waving his hand, the plate of grilled cheese sandwiches that Hermione had charmed earlier hovered by his side for a moment. He took one from the plate before sending is back to it's place on the ironing board.

"Minerva, you need to eat this, now before your heart explodes out of your chest." Severus ordered holding the sandwich out to Minerva.

"I'm not eating anything you've touched, Severus Snape." Minerva spat.

She was very confused. It was very unlike Severus to care about anyone, he didn't even look after himself properly. So why would he start caring now? And for her of all people, especially after the way she had treated him mere minutes ago? She had slapped him after all.

"Very well Minerva, if you think you can manage walking over there and getting one yourself, then you go ahead. I won't try and stop you." Severus replied. Waving his hand in a dismissive manner.

"Very well, though I don't see why you didn't just leave the plate. Like I'm incapable of walking ten feet across the room." Minerva grumbled, standing up a bit to quickly,

As a less intense wave of dizziness came over her.

She made it about half way across the room before another wave crashed over her. She had to grab hold of the circular table her knuckles shone white against the table in her effort to stay upright.

Hermione saw her friend stumble and grab the table she took notice of the way Minerva's face had taken on a grayish color. And moved to help her when Severus took hold of her wrist and said, in a hushed voice "You really are way to overprotective of her." 

"What are you talking about, would you look at her! I'm not about to let her keel over!" Hermione spat.

"You can't just go running to her aide every time! If you do you'll hurt her pride further, can't you see that she doesn't want our help!" Severus replied.

"Your serious about this." Hermione replied, it was more of a statement than a question.

Severus ignored Hermione and returned his attention to Minerva, who was still gripping the table.

"It seems somebody's been hitting the catnip again." Severus taunted, returning to his usual slimy self. Severus didn't know if catnip had any effect on Minerva, but it sounded good and the line was guaranteed to merit some kind of response from Minerva.

Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing! After everything Minerva had been through, Severus had the audacity to ruthlessly taunt her. The whole scene was disgusting!

"Shut up Severus." Came Minerva's tired reply.

Severus knew something was amiss as soon as he heard Minerva's so called comeback. Under normal circumstances her responses were guaranteed to bring him down a few pegs, usually.

"Oh come on Minerva, surely you can do better than that." Severus taunted.

"I said shut up! Severus!" Minerva said, through clenched teeth and in her sudden ire Minerva lost her grip on the table and her whole world was plunged into sudden darkness.

Severus and Hermione watched Minerva fall to the floor, Severus and Hermione were at her side instantaneously. Severus began checking her pulse and breathing.

"See, I told you something was wrong, but no you wouldn't let me help her! You just let her pass out!" Hermione hissed, before Severus put his hand up, effectively stemming Hermione's tirade. "Hermione, calm down." Severus instructed as he effortlessly lifted Minerva into his arms and laid her on the bed, propping her legs up on numerous pillows.

"You act like this isn't a big deal." Hermione mused.

"That's because it isn't. Minerva passed out all the time back when she was teaching. She would forget to eat, then keel over in the staff room. It's pretty much the same now, she still forgets to eat." Severus replied.

~0~0~0~

Severus and Hermione were seated at the round table, waiting for Minerva to regain consciousness, when Hermione broke the silence. She had an idea of what she wanted to do for Minerva but she wanted to run it by Severus first.

"Minerva doesn't seem happy here does she?"

"Honestly, no I don't think she is." Severus answered.

"Okay, well. I think Minerva could use some help getting back on her feet. I don't think she would have slipped this far if someone would have noticed." Hermione said.

"Go on." Severus coaxed.

"Well if I could just get Minerva to come and stay with me, then maybe I could help her. Maybe if I told her that I wanted the boys to get a head start on their magical education, maybe she could tutor them..." Hermione broke off, waiting for Severus to reply.

There was a short pause before Severus spoke. "So. You want Minerva to come and stay with you, under the pretext of teaching, when in reality your going to help her. Instead of her helping you." Severus replied.

"Well when you put it like that..." Hermione replied, when Severus broke it down like that her idea sounded fairly unlikely.

"No, honestly it isn't a bad idea, the only problem is, Minerva would never accept the help. So here's what we're going to do." Severus replied, wondering why Hermione hadn't been sorted into Slytherin.


	11. Chapter 11

Hermione and Severus spent the next twenty minutes with their heads together, whispering feverishly, their conversation was broken, however by Minerva's heart-stopping screams.

Severus was knelt at her bedside within seconds,

"Minerva. Minerva, wake up!" He said, roughly shaking her shoulder as she continued to scream.

"Blimey, I wish I knew what she was thinking." Severus said, turning to Hermione, who was seated next to him.

"Read her mind!" Hermione said, she had to shout to be heard over Minerva's screaming.

"I can't, not with her eyes closed!" Severus replied, feeling desperate.

"Isn't their something anything we can do?" I can't handle seeing her like this." Hermione said, frantic.

Severus ignored Hermione and continued to comfort Minerva as she screamed.

"Minerva, wake up." He whispered, softly tapping his long fingers against the side of her face.

Suddenly, Minerva's eyes snapped open, and her screamed abated, for a second. Until she realized that Severus was standing over her.

"No, stay away from me! You traitorous snake!" She shouted. Quickly getting off the bed and walking backwards keeping her eyes on Severus.

"Minerva, listen, it's okay you just had a nightmare. Nobody's going to hurt you." Hermione said, trying to bring Minerva's attention away from Severus.

"Hermione's right, I'm your friend, you know that. I'm not going to hurt you." Severus said, gently, walking cautiously towards Minerva. Causing her to back against the wall.

Severus knew that Minerva wasn't at this currant moment, in her right mind, and he was desperate to know why.

"Hermione? What are you doing here? What are you doing with him?" Minerva shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Severus.

Just then Severus made up his mind, he knew what he had to do. He locked eyes with Minerva, and was plunged headfirst into her mind.

Severus looked around his surroundings, he appeared to be at the top of the astronomy tower at Hogwarts the pale moonlight spilled in through the window, illuminating the grounds of Hogwarts, and the aged face of Albus Dumbledore, who was slumped against the wall his long silver hair and beard dragging the ground. Realization hit Severus like a knife to his gut, he remembered this night all to clearly, it didn't matter how much he wished to forget it.

Severus had to force himself to watch the scene unfold in front of his eyes, as a mirror image of himself drew his wand and pointed it at his Headmaster.

"Severus, no, please." Dumbledore begged.

Severus didn't need to hear his image's reply, to know what was coming next, as a burst of green light came out of the wand that his image was holding.

"No!" Severus shouted, but his cries fell on deaf ears, as the scene began to blur around the edges and then morph completely.

Severus's vision twisted and he felt himself falling, as he was pitched into inky blackness, once more.

Severus landed with an audible crunch it took him a moment to realize that he was standing in the pumpkin patch outside of Hagrid's cabin.

All of a sudden, there was a flood of light, as the door to Hagrid's hut burst open.

"Be reasonable Hagrid." Called a man's voice

"Reasonable be damned, you won't take me like this!" Hagrid roared.

Suddenly more light flooded the dark grounds as a woman came running towards the scene.

Severus couldn't bring himself to watch as Minerva fell to the ground.

He pulled himself out of her mind seconds later.

~0~0~0~

"Severus." Minerva whispered, "How much did you see?"

"All of it." Severus replied, dropping to his knees in front of Minerva, who was slumped weakly against the wall.

"Oh Severus." Minerva whispered, as he drew her closer to him, pulling them both to their feet and gently sitting Minerva on the bed, than sitting beside her. With his feet hanging off the edge but his back was rested against the headboard.

"I want you to take this, it will help you sleep." Severus said, as he withdrew a small red colored vial from his pocket.

"I'm letting you know now, that there is no point in my taking this." Minerva replied, taking the vial from Severus and toying with it between her delicate fingers.

"Humor me and when you wake up, Hermione and I will be right next to you." Severus replied, he knew that Minerva wouldn't want to be left alone.

"Hermione don't you have to go to work in the morning?" Minerva asked, looking at Hermione.

"I'll be okay, It's just paperwork. Just get some sleep." Hermione replied, 'Always worrying about everyone else' Hermione mused.

"You know, I find it rather odd that the two of you are suddenly so chummy. When did that happen?" Minerva asked, evasively.

"I see what you're doing, and you aren't going to weasel out of this, just take the potion. Or I will make you." Severus said forcefully,

he had known that carrying out their plan would be difficult. But he hadn't counted on fighting Minerva tooth and nail to get her to take a simple sleeping draught.

As I said Severus, there is little point." Minerva replied, emphasizing those four words.

"Why?" Severus snapped, growing frustrated, why can't the damned woman just take what I offer and be none with it!

"Why is it any of your concern!" Minerva shot back.

"Why won't you just tell me?" Severus bit back.

" Just leave it alone." Hermione warned, coming to stand between the pair, with her arms outstretched, the tips of her fingers brushing against Severus's chest through the black button down shirt.

What came next was like the dropping of the atom bomb.

"What do you want me to tell you Severus, that I haven't slept in seven years because my husband isn't lying next to me, and I blame you, and I blame Voldemort and I blame the entire bloody, wizarding world! It was always about 'the greater good' Screw the greater good! I hope that's what you want to hear, because it's the truth!" Minerva shouted,

dropping weakly to her knees, she wasn't crying but you could tell that the speech she had made, had taken a lot out of her.

Nobody knew quite what to say after that, it was like Hermione and Severus had been stunned into silence.

Then suddenly Severus had pulled Minerva into his arms and she was burying her head in the curve of his neck.

"I'm sorry Minerva, I'm so sorry." Severus murmured, into her raven colored hair, over and over again.

Then before she could succumb to natural sleep, Severus pulled away, "The last thing I want to have to do is to have to go back into your mind tonight and pull you out of another nightmare." Severus said,

once again handing Minerva the vial that contained the sleeping draught.

Minerva didn't say anything, she just uncorked the vial and downed the bitter tasting potion, all in one go without even flinching.

"Come on now, let's get on the bed, the hard floor won't do anyone any favors." Severus said, softly. Pulling Minerva into his arms again and placing her on the bed, her head was still buried in his shoulder and her arms were around his middle when she fell into an easy sleep, listening to the beat of his heart.

Now normally, had it been anyone else, Severus would have immediately untangled himself and headed for the nearest shower. He did not under any circumstances, like being close to people. Physically or otherwise, he was not comfortable with affection, he did not like receiving and he wasn't at all at peace with giving it.

But with Minerva, it was different, it was like his arms molded almost perfectly, with her frail body, and that small piece of knowledge made him feel the slightest twinge of guilt over what came next.

"Alright, she's out cold, we have a good six and a half hours before she wakes up again." Severus said.


	12. Chapter 12

Minerva slept soundly, her head nestled securely on Severus's chest. Severus however, found himself in a rather comprising position. He found himself unconsciously stroking her long raven locks between his fingers. He was torn between continuing to hold the woman whom he was fairly certain, wouldn't want to have anything to do with him, if the words that had been exchanged earlier were anything to go by. Or he and Hermione could carry on with the plan they had concocted. After all it was essential for Minerva to be asleep.

"Hermione, are sure you want to do this?" Severus asked, from his place on the bed.

"Yes." Hermione answered, standing in the middle of the muggle motel room, pointing her wand at the small wardrobe that stood in the corner, shrinking it's contents and sending it flying into a tartan carpet bag.

"You are aware, of course that our little plan, would be considered kidnapping." Severus said, slightly in awe at the look of cold determination on her face.

"I've done worse." came Hermione's reply, there was a slight callous edge to her words as she snapped the clasp on the bag closed, and setting it on the foot of the bed.

"Is that all of Minerva's things?" Severus asked, skeptical.

"Yep, everything she needs that is, clothes, shoes, books, her wand, and everything else she came here with." Hermione replied.

Severus could tell that Hermione had omitted some things from her list. "What doesn't Minerva need, everything she owns is in this room." Severus said, curious.

"Well, she doesn't need the contents of the bedside table." Hermione explained, walking over to the table and pulling out the drawer. "Come and see."

"I'd rather not." Severus replied, he suddenly felt nervous about how Minerva would feel if she knew that he and Hermione had gone through her things.

"Alright fine, but either way, all of her stuff is packed." Hermione replied.

After a moment, nobody spoke, but Severus could no longer suppress his curiosity, he shifted Minerva so her head was rested against the pillow, and she was lying flat on the bed, when he was on his feet again he tucked the blankets around her and joined Hermione on the other side of the bed.

Hermione watched as Severus gently tucked the quilts around Minerva for the second time that night. Her shock must have been evident on her face because Severus turned to her and said,

"I'm really not the merciless cad that I make myself out to be."

"I realize that." Hermione replied, and that was all that was said on the subject. Severus found himself feeling grateful towards Hermione for not pushing the matter.

"So...do you plan to enlighten me, or are we just going to stand here all night?" Severus asked, eying the nightstand.

"Oh right." Hermione said, pulling open the drawer.

Severus's sharp intake of breath did not go unnoticed by Hermione as they gazed into the drawer. Severus daringly reached his hand into the drawer and withdrew one of the many decanters.

"There were more when I got here, there was broken glass everywhere. When I repaired the glass-" Hermione broke off upon seeing the look on Severus's face.

"How many?" Severus whispered, his voice barely audible.

"What?" Hermione asked, taken aback.

"How many? How many more were there!" Severus shouted, rounding on Hermione.

"I don't know, maybe a dozen." Hermione replied, thoroughly shocked due to his sudden change in demeanor.

"Twelve." Severus said faintly, pinching the bridge of his nose. " Twelve plus these, that's over forty bottles in the three weeks since I brought her here, and it's my fault. She had just come out of the hospital, she was so weak that she could barely walk. I could have stayed with her. I should have taken her to my place! I should have taken care of her but what did I do? I took her here, to the cheapest, most rundown place I could find and I dropped her off and I didn't look back. Like a stray dog!

She could have died before you found her and it's my fault. She's been drinking herself into an oblivion for the past month and it's all because of me. If-"

"Stop!" Hermione interrupted, "I agree, you could have done more, we all could have but under no circumstances is any of this your fault! We are all to blame, we all missed the signs of possible addiction. But we can take this opportunity to make things right!"

"Alright. let's get out of here." Severus said. Turning back to Minerva and wrapping the blankets tighter around her, before lifting her into his arms once again, indeed without the aid of a lightening charm. Minerva was far too light without it.

Then Hermione took Minerva's bag off the bed and led them outside into the cold night air, and out into the parking lot. She held the backseat door open and waited for Severus to climb into the car, with Minerva in his arms it was slightly more difficult, but after Minerva was settled with her head on his lap Hermione closed the door and the car pulled out of the parking lot and away from the motel.

"Care to tell me where we are going?" A very irritated Severus snapped, after both his legs had fallen asleep with a very restless Minerva laying across the backseat, with her head on his knees.

"My place." Hermione replied.

"And you just took it upon yourself to assume that Minerva would want to take up residence in your home, with your two hyperactive toddlers and muggle husband who is anything but subtle about his revulsion of anything remotely magical." Severus hissed.

"What other choice do I have? I told you of my motives, with which you agreed wholeheartedly. If you have any suggestions I am more than willing to take them into account." Hermione said, a little harsher than she intended,

but really, what did Severus really expect? He had just insulted her family, although he wasn't all that far off, his comment still got to her.

"When we do finally get out of this wretched car, I will be taking Minerva to Spinners End, to stay with me." Severus stated, as if his declaration settled the matter.

There was a moment of tense silence, Severus found himself brushing stray hairs away from Minerva's forehead, when he realized the intense heat that was radiating off of her.

"Hermione, how far past St Mungo's are we?" Severus asked, momentarily forgetting about their little spat.

"We passed it about five miles back, why?" Hermione asked, worry creeping into her voice.

"I think we better turn around." Severus said.

~0~0~0~

Sometime later

~0~0~0~

Severus and Hermione took a parking space in the near empty parking lot of Saint Mungo's Hospital. Severus carefully enfolded Minerva in his arms as they walk through the molted window and into the emergency entrance. Quinn was waiting for them, dressed in a white lab coat and scrubs he looked like he hadn't slept in days. Even if it he had just been with Hermione a few hours ago.

"Quinn, what's going on?" Hermione asked, hurrying to his side.

"They called me in. Ginny's with the boys. What are you doing here?" Quinn answered, his mouth forming an o in surprise as he caught sight of Minerva, laying unconsciously in Severus's arms.

"What happened?" Quinn asked, hurrying over to Severus, attempting to take the Minerva out of his arms.

"She's fine here!" Severus hissed, his voice so low it would send a seventh year Slytherin into a panic.

"What happened?" Quinn asked again, looking at Hermione, "If you two did something stupid, it is imperative that you tell me, before Lydia , my boss catches wind of this." Quinn said, his eyes darting left and right, as if he was making sure that they weren't being spied on.

But sure enough, before anyone could reply, the three heard the clicking as a pair of six inch black pumps came in contact with the tile.

"Look, whatever you two did to her, it's too late to come clean now. Lydia's coming around the corner." Quinn said hurriedly.

Seconds later a tall looking woman, with long blond hair, rounded the corner. She wore a long white coat that bore the signature wand and cross bone insignia. It was obvious that she was a witch. "What is going on here?" The woman asked.

Her sharp blue eyes darting from Severus to Quinn and back again, as if assessing the situation while the two men continued with their staring contest.

When she saw Minerva laying in Severus's arms she turned, to Severus and Hermione and asked, "Who is responsible for this woman?" Lydia's sharp tone echoed off the walls of the corridor and all three adults knew she demanded answers, and she would get them, one way or another.

Quinn broke eye contact with Severus and said, with obvious nervousness, "Well you see, Doctor Arden, my wife here...uh... Hermione...would you care to explain... seeing as you do know a bit more about the current situation..." He replied, the words falling off his tongue in a rush.

Severus's eyes rolled at the muggle man's foolishness as he positioned Minerva in a more secure place in his arms before stepping forward. "I'll take full responsibility for Minerva McGonagall, Healer Arden." Severus replied, bowing his head slightly.

The blond healer eyed Severus skeptically, "Are you family?" She asked.

"No."

"Did the two of you live together?"

"No, she lives alone, well we were residence of the same household that is, if you are taking my seven years at Hogwarts into consideration, she was my teacher at one point."

"Sorry, no I'm afraid that doesn't count." The healer replied, although she didn't sound the least bit sorry.

"Well what about me? Minerva is like my mother, or the closest thing I have to a mother." Hermione piped in.

"Is there any way you can prove that? DNA sample, adoption papers, anything?"

"Well technically we aren't related but-"

"But nothing, I can't do anything without a husband or blood relative, the only option is the patient's consent, written or otherwise, and seeing as said patient is currently asleep, and unable to communicate, I'm not able to do anything until she is awake and can tell us what she wants. " The healer stated.

Then, as if on cue, Minerva lifted her head, just slightly off Severus's shoulder and mumbled, "Anything life threatening and 'Mione and Severus can make the decisions together." Before her head fell back on Severus's shoulder and she fell back to sleep with a gentle snore.

"Finally! Lydia said, throwing her hands in the air dramatically, Quinn, get her in a room. Check her over the muggle way and treat her accordingly, so I can come in behind you and do it right." The witch instructed before making her way back down the hallway.

"Wow, I hate her." Quinn said, as he led Severus and Hermione to an empty room.

"Is she always that bad?" Hermione asked , sympathetically.

"Worse, she took me off the muggle ward, now you tell me what the hell I'm going to do treating potions accidents!" Quinn stormed.

Severus rolled his eyes and muttered, "I can see the headlines now, Brain of the Golden trio marries dunderhead."

"Well, no wonder she's so bitter, have you seen her shoes." Hermione joked, causing Quinn to laugh, albeit bitterly, but he laughed. As they stopped in front of room 519 and Quinn led Hermione and Severus inside. Severus laid Minerva gently on the bed and stared at Quinn. "I'm not leaving her." Severus declared, waiting for the argument that was sure to come.

"Alright, fine if you want to stay you can sit with Hermione outside the curtain."

Severus opened his mouth to tell Quinn, that he had wouldn't be waiting outside the curtain, when Minerva groaned in her sleep. "Go outside Severus, go wait with Hermione."

Hermione tried not to seem hurt at being pushed aside, but followed Severus out the door.

They each took seats in the hallway, after a pregnant pause, Severus spoke. "There's something off about that Arden woman." His voice sounded hollow and far away. But years of experience as a Death Eater turned Potions Master turned spy, told him that something was amiss with Healer Lydia Arden.

"What do you mean, something off?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know I can't put my finger on it." Severus replied, standing up and pacing the floor, running a nervous hand through his hair.

Quinn stepped into the hallway a few minutes later. Severus continued wearing a hole into the floor and Hermione stood up.

"Hermione, don't flip out." Quinn warned.

"Why would I flip out Quinn, what's wrong with her!" Hermione asked, her voice had a shrill note to it.

"Okay, let me rephrase that, before you flip out let me explain. She has a minor infection, and I'm treating her for dehydration and malnutrition. After a few days she should be fine. I've put her on an intravenous drip so we can give her the fluids and medications she needs. She's going to need a place to go when she's released. Hermione and I have already talked about it.

"What do you mean you've already talked about it!" Severus said, outraged.

"So she'll be okay?" Hermione asked, ignoring Severus

"She'll be as good as new in a few days. It looks like Hermione has some blanks that need filling in , so I'll leave you to it. I should go and clear things up for my patient." Quinn answered, as he turned to go back into room 519. His hand rested on the door handle when Severus's voice stopped him.

"Is she awake?" Severus asked, in a hollow tone as he made another wide berth across the floor.

"She's foggy, but awake, yes." Quinn replied, then he turned the handle and made his way into Minerva's hospital room.

~0~0~0~0~

"You lied to me Granger!" Severus stormed, his footsteps continued pounding the tile.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked, regaining her seat in the hard plastic chair.

" I should have seen this before, the way you were so quick to take Minerva away from the motel. I should have known. You went behind my back and concocted a plan without my consent!"

"Circumstances change Severus!" Hermione replied angrily.

"Circumstances of this nature don't change!" He spat.

" Would you listen to me! You were not even supposed to be involved in the original plan, I didn't account for Minerva having a nervous breakdown. And having to bring her to a hospital! I wasn't planning on calling you, but you were the only person I knew that Minerva trusted. So I called you, and now you're involved and the two of us have some things we need to work out." Hermione explained.

"We can work them out later, for now I think you should get in there before Minerva traumatizes your already delicate husband." Severus said silkily.

"Quinn is not delicate." Hermione said, determined not to rise to Severus's bait.

"He's, shall we say, a special case then." Severus purred, determined to get a rise from Hermione.

"Whatever Severus." Hermione said, standing up and walking into Minerva's room, leaving a bored looking Severus in her wake.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0

Minerva was propped up on numerous pillows, seemingly asleep, a plastic tube was sticking out of her hand.

Quinn was sitting in one of the hospital's hard plastic chairs closest to the window, staring into space.

"I thought she was awake." Hermione observed, taking another chair next to Quinn, but close enough to Minerva's bedside so she could hold the other woman's hand.

"She was, for a minute. I didn't get a chance to introduce myself before she fell back to sleep." Quinn whispered.

"Then what are you doing here, what's wrong?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know, I just feel like I should be here, I feel so drawn to her." Quinn said, laying his hand on top of Hermione's, the hand that held Minerva's.

"I completely understand." Hermione said.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

A/N this is a seriously evil chapter. You have been warned.

Minerva awoke with the feeling of new pressure on her hand. With bleary eyes she caught a glimpse of Hermione sitting at her bedside. "Hi." Minerva croaked, her voice thick with sleep.

"Hey, shh don't try to talk." Hermione chided gently.

Minerva's eyes fell on her bandaged hand that was still entwined with Hermione and Quinn's. She looked at the pair with questioning eyes. Quinn quickly withdrew his hand and flushed slightly pink as he stood up and muttered, "I'll go um... get some water."

Hermione waited until she heard the sound of Quinn's heavy footfalls in the hallway, before she spoke again. "Do you know where you are?"

"Well considering that I now have a plastic tube running down my left hand that wasn't there before, I'd hazard a guess and say I was in Saint Mungo's." Minerva replied, ignoring the painful dryness in her throat.

"Yes you're in Saint Mungo's, Severus gave you a calming draught earlier and while you were sleeping you started running a fever. The doctors are treating you for an infection, dehydration and malnourishment. That's what the tube is for." Hermione explained, even if it wasn't the entire truth, it was good enough.

"How long?" Minerva asked, quietly she had grown to weak to speak in anything above a whisper.

"How long what?" Hermione asked.

"How long will I be imprisoned here? Minerva replied, a hint of the former crispness in her tone.

"You're not imprisoned here, you're in the hospital. Not Azkaban." Hermione said.

"What's the difference between the healers and the dementors? Tell me, when have you ever felt any joy walking through the door of a hospital. The healers taint all possible happiness with their negative diagnosis and their ineffective medications. What is the difference between them and the dementor's kiss. Dementors may take away a person's soul, doctors and useless medicines take away a person's life." By the time Minerva had finished, her eyes were starting to close and Hermione could find no fault in her logic.

Quinn came back in a minute later with a plastic cup of ice water in his hand.

"Every time I come in here, she's asleep." Quinn observed, setting the water on the nightstand and taking his seat next to Hermione.

"It's nothing against you Dear." Hermione said, taking Minerva's hand again.

Hermione felt a tight grip on her hand. "Where is Severus?" Minerva whispered, her face contorted in pain.

"He's here, he's right outside." Hermione replied.

"please get him. Tell him to stop wearing a hole in the floor, I can't afford to have it repaired." Minerva whispered, holding tightly to Hermione's hand.

"Sure." Hermione replied, walking across the room and poking her head out the door. Severus was still pacing the floor, but there was less urgency in his movements.

"Severus, Minerva sent me to tell you that you can stop with the pacing." Hermione said, jokingly.

Severus's head snapped up , "She's awake?" he questioned.

"She's asking for you."

Severus followed Hermione back into the room. He was across the room in three quick strides.

"I'm surprised you're still here." Minerva whispered.

"I promised you." Severus replied.

"Always a man of your word aren't you?" Minerva joked, her voice hoarse.

"One of my worst qualities." Severus replied, lifting her hand off the bed and enfolding it in his.

Minerva suddenly squeezed his hand tightly, and Severus could read the well masked pain in her eyes. "you're hurting aren't you?" Severus asked he was careful to keep a gentle tone, he kept his voice low enough so Hermione and Quinn wouldn't overhear. He knew it was hard enough for Minerva to be honest about her pain with him, much less anybody else.

"I'm okay, okay, okay." Minerva answered.

"Those were three very unconvincing okay's, I'm going to make them give you something." Severus replied, letting go of her hand and pulling Quinn aside.

"She's hurting." Severus said simply.

"How do you know? She hasn't said anything. She's been asleep nearly the entire time." Quinn replied.

"She wouldn't say anything, she thinks that admitting her personal pain is a sign of weakness. But I think it's her back that's hurting her. She was brutally attacked a few years ago it left some pretty heavy lasting damage as well some rather nasty scars on her back and chest. They tend to flare up in times of stress." Severus explained.

"I see. Well, I'll have to make sure that it really is the scars that are causing her pain, and not something more serious then I'll get someone in here with experience in wizarding medicine and we'll find the best way to help her." Quinn replied.

"Okay, just not-" Severus went to tell Quinn not to to alert Healer Arden, but it was to late, Quinn was already out of earshot.

He had half a mind to follow Quinn but thought better of it when he saw how tight Minerva held Hermione's hand. So he went to them and held Minerva's other hand, there was little more he could do until Quinn came back. "How do you feel Minerva?" Hermione asked.

Minerva sighed but decided it would be easier if she were honest with Hermione, rather than hurt the young woman by lying to her.

"The pain comes and goes." Minerva replied, "Hermione, are you ever going to introduce me to your husband or IV's and painkillers your idea of an icebreaker?" Minerva quipped trying to distract herself from the pain.

"How did you-" before Hermione could finish her question, Minerva intervened.

"I woke up and he was holding your hand, remember? No common stranger would look at you the way he was." Minerva replied.

Hermione had to smile at Minerva's observations, even in the hospital in severe pain, Minerva was still sharp as a tack. "I'll be sure to introduce you properly when you are well again." Hermione replied.

Severus could hear the sharp clicking of Lydia's heels coming down the hall, a knot of unease settled in the pit of his stomach. Healer Lydia Arden strongly reminded Severus of a rattlesnake shrouded within the grass, they were always heard before they were seen.

The door opened and Quinn emerged, with Lydia at his heels. Lydia held a vial in her hand. Minerva closed her eyes tighter as the sound of Lydia's footfalls seemed to magnify off the walls.

"Do you mind, patients are ill and trying to rest, couldn't you put a silencing charm on those shoes." Minerva groaned. Her head was throbbing and the sound of those ridiculous shoes were doing nothing to ease her pain.

Lydia said nothing and she made no move to put any sort of charm on her shoes, if anything her footsteps were louder.

"Roll over." Lydia demanded.

"What?" Minerva replied shooting Lydia one of her famous McGonagall glares, Minerva was not one to be demanded.

"Severus told me about the pain in your back, I want to make sure that it is in fact, your scars that are causing your pain and not something else." Quinn explained, "Could you roll on your side for me?"

Minerva nodded, she held tightly to Severus's hands as the slight movement racked her body with pain.

Severus glared at Lydia when the blond witch had the nerve to roll her eyes at Minerva's pained expression.

"Quinn, only you, not her." Severus demanded as Quinn moved to stand on the other side of Minerva. Lydia simply flipped her long hair over her shoulder and moved beside Quinn.

She started to unbutton the back of Minerva's nightgown, with no regard for the fact that her long french manicured nails made unwanted contact with the tender flesh of Minerva's back.

Minerva moaned slightly as the flesh searing pain washed over her.

Quinn noticed this and stepped in front of Lydia, so she could no longer reach Minerva.

The pain from Healer Arden's nails subsided and Minerva could hear the sound of footsteps coming closer to her.

"Professor, would you mind if I finish." Quinn asked, hesitantly he didn't want to cause her any more pain. Physical or otherwise.

Minerva was surprised at the gentle tone of his voice she was touched that he would even ask her permission. Most would just continue undressing her the way Healer Arden had.

"Please continue." Minerva whispered.

Quinn's hands were gentle, Minerva felt no pain at his touch, as he carefully revealed her mauled back.

"When I touch you, I want you to rate your pain on a scale from one to ten." Quinn instructed.

But before Quinn could act, Lydia had beat him to it. She stepped in front of Quinn, cutting off his vision. Before she ran her french manicured nail down the length of one of Minerva's many scars.

All attempts at keeping her dignity vanished as a the pain in her flesh burned anew Minerva could no longer swallow the hysterical scream that had built up in her throat.

"Rate your pain Professor." Lydia instructed over Minerva's scream, her tone held no remorse, no sympathy on the contrary she seemed almost board.

"Twelve." Minerva ground out through clenched teeth.

"I daresay you aren't in the position for sarcasm." Lydia said, "Now a number between one and ten please." She said before running another nail down Minerva's back.

"Please. Stop." Minerva whispered, biting the inside of her lip to keep from screaming out again.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid this is medically necessary." Lydia replied, scratching Minerva yet again.

Hermione saw Minerva's eyes cloud with tears, was the last straw.

"Medically necessary! Like hell it is Stop it! Can't you see it's her nerves bothering her!" Hermione shouted jumping up from her seat. Lydia appeared not to have heard Hermione outburst. But she continued scratching Minerva.

"That's my mother you're torturing now stop it!" Hermione ordered, stepping in front of Lydia and yanking her wrist away from Minerva, Severus appeared next to Hermione and the pair of them hauled a very protesting Lydia out the door.

Severus cast a locking charm on the door before they made their way back to Minerva.


	14. Chapter 14

Hermione and Severus were at Minerva's bedside simultaneously, Minerva was still trying to compose herself. So Hermione instinctively cupped Minerva's cheek in her palm, "She's gone, Severus locked the door. She won't be able to come in here tonight." Hermione whispered.

Quinn was standing on the other side of Minerva, gently rubbing a thick cream on Minerva's back. Minerva sighed tiredly whenever she felt Quinn's hands carefully redoing the buttons on her nightdress.

"I want you to go home now Hermione, go home tuck your son's in bed and go to sleep. We have some things to discuss tomorrow and I want you to be well rested." Minerva whispered, patting Hermione's cheek.

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, My Dear, I'll be right here when you come back tomorrow." Minerva said, closing her eyes.

"She won't be alone, Hermione." Severus added quietly.

"Fine, but I'm not taking my car, the drive takes too long." Hermione said stubbornly. Turning to Quinn, daring him to try and stop her from taking the floo network.

But instead of putting up a resistance, he simply crossed the room and kissed her cheek before walking her to the fireplace. " Don't wait up. I'll be home as soon as I can. I want to make sure Lydia isn't going to try anything." Quinn said.

"Okay, I'll see you later." Hermione said, stepping into the fireplace and taking a handful of floo powder.

Seconds later Hermione arrived in her living room, a tired looking Ginny Weasley ~Potter Greeted her from the sofa. "The boys are upstairs, they wanted to wait up for you but I told them you wouldn't be home until late. They are sleeping in your bed now." Ginny said, stretching her legs.

"Thanks Gin. Were they good today?" Hermione replied.

"Well, let's see, Ginny said, ticking things off of her fingers, "Alexander broke a plate today during lunch. Xavier broke his nose sliding off the staircase railing, and the two of them nearly gave me a heart attack when they tried to set the house on fire playing with paper in the fireplace! And that was just this morning."

"What?" Hermione said, breathlessly practically falling into a nearby armchair.

"Hermione, you could pick your jaw off the floor now. I was only joking." Ginny said.

As Hermione cast a fleeting glance across the room, looking for blood and evidence of a fire.

"Not funny, Ginny. It's been a long day." Hermione muttered, putting her face in her hands and resting her arms on her knees.

"I'm sorry, How's McGonagall?" Ginny replied.

"She's...um..." Hermione paused, trying to decide how much she should tell Ginny, how much Minerva would want anyone else to know. "She's...okay...she's ill of course...but she's alright...considering." Hermione's words seemed to hang in the air for a moment before Ginny spoke. "So McGonagall's in St Mungo's? You said she was ill."

"Quinn's looking after her. Oh and Severus is with her as well, anyway I'm going to bed now. Goodnight." Hermione said, trying to make a break for the staircase.

"Hold up, wait a second, Severus as in Severus Snape! Head of Slytherin, potions master and possible son of Satan! " Ginny said in apparent disbelief.

"Yes, but calling him the son of Satan is a bit harsh. He's not as bad as we thought" Hermione replied mildly.

"Whatever." Ginny replied.

Before Hermione could say anything else, Ginny was already snoring.

Hermione decided that whatever Quinn didn't know, didn't hurt him so with a flick of her wand, she conjured a blanket and covered Ginny with it before climbing the stairs. When she reached her bedroom Hermione maneuvered her way through the darkness and crawled into bed between her boys, getting lost in the tangle of arms and legs.

"Are you home now Mommy?" Hermione recognized Alexander's tired voice.

"I'm home now." Hermione whispered. As Alexander crawled over to the other side of the bed and cuddled to his mother's side.

While Hermione was drifting off to sleep, Severus was sitting on the window seat in Minerva's hospital room

contemplating exactly what he was doing here. It's not like he was of any use, watching Minerva sleep wasn't doing her any favors and frankly it made him feel downright creepy. Here he was quite literally watching over the wife of the man whom he murdered. Granted Albus's death wasn't entirely Severus's doing, he, Severus had been nothing more than a means to an end. But that thought did little to comfort Severus. But soon his thoughts had drifted to another matter aside from his own difficulties, he thought of Minerva.

He started thinking of the way her hair smelled of vanilla and the way the soft strands felt beneath his hand. The way he was unable to stop himself from caressing the thick inky tresses. And the way she had seemingly trusted him during her moment of pain. At that thought the room felt as if it were closing in on Severus and he could hear his heart pounding in his eardrums. He needed to get out, get as far away from Minerva as possible. But he couldn't. He could see her in his mind's eye.

Minerva laying in the hospital bed alone, defenseless when the pain returned with nobody to comfort her. Well it's not like being alone is the worst thing in the world. Severus thought dryly. Then he saw Minerva laying alone and defenseless if Lydia returned. That was enough for Severus to know that

he couldn't leave her, his body wanted out but something else, something strange that he couldn't identify, kept him there and he couldn't do anything about it.

Severus could hear snippets of conversation from out in the hall and he recognized Quinn's voice coming closer. When Quinn knocked on the door, Severus took this opportunity to make his escape. Severus unlocked the door to allow Quinn entrance, when Quinn came in, Severus walked right passed him without a word. He closed and locked the door to prevent Quinn's escape.

Severus's legs carried him on their own accord, he tore through the hallway as fast as he could out into the dark, moonlit arctic cold parking lot. The cold wind flecked with flurries seemed to calm Severus's ragging nerves. For a moment. With trembling hands Severus withdrew the yellowed, worn parchment from his pocket, he knew the text verbatim for he had carried it with him everyday for the past six years. But in these situations, memory mattered not.

So standing in a practically deserted parking lot, with the bitter wind howling in his ears, Severus unfolded the parchment. His eyes scanned the last note ever penned in Albus Dumbledore's neat, loopy handwriting. Most of the front page looked blurry and unfocused apart from the lines of the first two paragraphs.

Dearest Severus,

If you are reading this, then you have completed the task that I set before you many months ago and I am undoubtedly dead. I want to thank you for your unwavering loyalty and friendship, even in times when you should have doubted me, even in times when I doubted myself I sincerely hope that you know that your affection and the time we've spent together means more to me then all the lemon drops in Honeydukes. I know I've asked to much of you over the years. But alas my death brings about more pain then I would care to admit otherwise, but as this is my final letter and an old man's pride should be pushed aside for the sake of the greater good. So I ask of you, this one final request.

Guard my heart for me Severus, take care of Minerva. She will need someone strong to lean on after I am gone. Someone who will not pity her in her grief. Minerva is strong in her own right but I have no doubts that she will allow her good judgment to waiver. She trusts you although she would never openly admit it, but she does trust you Severus, as much as I do and her trust is not given easily. I beg of you, keep her safe, Severus. Protect her from herself, help her to be happy again. Look after her, Severus.

 

Severus tore his gaze from the paper his heart pounded and his hands shook as the words sank in 'Look after her Severus.' "Headmaster I cannot do this." Severus whispered to the wind. Then when he received no answer, he shouted "Headmaster, how? You asked me to 'look after her' And I'm trying! I'm doing the best I know how but you didn't prepare me for this. How was I supposed to know that she would flip out and get herself sacked! Then I did the only thing I could, I took her away from Hogwarts , I hid her away from everyone. I left her alone I left her to her own devices, for a month, with no outside contact from anyone.

Then, as far as I know, she got drunk and hurt herself, I wasn't around to protect her from that! It was lucky that Hermione found her in time! Then she had a breakdown, and she slapped me and she cried, then I held her. Headmaster, I held your widow in my arms and I liked it. It felt good , but it's wrong she's wife and she's grieving over you and I won't take advantage of that! It's obvious that you can't hear me, given the fact that your... dead. But couldn't you send me a sign... something...anything?" Severus paused for a moment before turning on his heel. "Apparently I'm talking to the moon." Severus muttered as he began walking back towards the hospital building.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew through the trees and ripped the parchment out of Severus's hand. The parchment landed on the frozen grass a few feet away. Severus hurried after it. He stood over the parchment for a moment as a single snowflake fell from the sky and landed on the parchment, highlighting two words be happy. Severus took a steadying breath as the wind suddenly stopped blowing as he bent forward and picked up the parchment.

"You were prepared for this, weren't you, Headmaster?" Severus muttered as he looked up towards the trees. The wind gusted once again and Severus could have sworn that he saw the tree branch move up and down as if it were nodding.

"Thank you , Headmaster." Severus muttered to the still wind as he turned back in the direction of the hospital.

Yay! Finally finished! So sorry it took so long to update I hope you all enjoyed this one I hope I've done alright with Severus. He's so difficult to keep in character. Feel free to tell me off if you feel the need to do so. :^) Many thanks for all the reviews! For once I have a clear idea of the next chapter so you COULD get an update a bit faster next time. I'm not making any promises but it is possible. I'm a bit worried about Quinn though, still not sure if he's good or bad. Y'all let me know!


	15. Chapter 15

Hermione and Severus were at Minerva's bedside simultaneously, Minerva was still trying to compose herself. So Hermione instinctively cupped Minerva's cheek in her palm, "She's gone, Severus locked the door. She won't be able to come in here tonight." Hermione whispered.

Quinn was standing on the other side of Minerva, gently rubbing a thick cream on Minerva's back. Minerva sighed tiredly whenever she felt Quinn's hands carefully redoing the buttons on her nightdress.

"I want you to go home now Hermione, go home tuck your son's in bed and go to sleep. We have some things to discuss tomorrow and I want you to be well rested." Minerva whispered, patting Hermione's cheek.

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, My Dear, I'll be right here when you come back tomorrow." Minerva said, closing her eyes.

"She won't be alone, Hermione." Severus added quietly.

"Fine, but I'm not taking my car, the drive takes too long." Hermione said stubbornly. Turning to Quinn, daring him to try and stop her from taking the floo network.

But instead of putting up a resistance, he simply crossed the room and kissed her cheek before walking her to the fireplace. " Don't wait up. I'll be home as soon as I can. I want to make sure Lydia isn't going to try anything." Quinn said.

"Okay, I'll see you later." Hermione said, stepping into the fireplace and taking a handful of floo powder.

Seconds later Hermione arrived in her living room, a tired looking Ginny Weasley ~Potter Greeted her from the sofa. "The boys are upstairs, they wanted to wait up for you but I told them you wouldn't be home until late. They are sleeping in your bed now." Ginny said, stretching her legs.

"Thanks Gin. Were they good today?" Hermione replied.

"Well, let's see, Ginny said, ticking things off of her fingers, "Alexander broke a plate today during lunch. Xavier broke his nose sliding off the staircase railing, and the two of them nearly gave me a heart attack when they tried to set the house on fire playing with paper in the fireplace! And that was just this morning."

"What?" Hermione said, breathlessly practically falling into a nearby armchair.

"Hermione, you could pick your jaw off the floor now. I was only joking." Ginny said.

As Hermione cast a fleeting glance across the room, looking for blood and evidence of a fire.

"Not funny, Ginny. It's been a long day." Hermione muttered, putting her face in her hands and resting her arms on her knees.

"I'm sorry, How's McGonagall?" Ginny replied.

"She's...um..." Hermione paused, trying to decide how much she should tell Ginny, how much Minerva would want anyone else to know. "She's...okay...she's ill of course...but she's alright...considering." Hermione's words seemed to hang in the air for a moment before Ginny spoke. "So McGonagall's in St Mungo's? You said she was ill."

"Quinn's looking after her. Oh and Severus is with her as well, anyway I'm going to bed now. Goodnight." Hermione said, trying to make a break for the staircase.

"Hold up, wait a second, Severus as in Severus Snape! Head of Slytherin, potions master and possible son of Satan! " Ginny said in apparent disbelief.

"Yes, but calling him the son of Satan is a bit harsh. He's not as bad as we thought" Hermione replied mildly.

"Whatever." Ginny replied.

Before Hermione could say anything else, Ginny was already snoring.

Hermione decided that whatever Quinn didn't know, didn't hurt him so with a flick of her wand, she conjured a blanket and covered Ginny with it before climbing the stairs. When she reached her bedroom Hermione maneuvered her way through the darkness and crawled into bed between her boys, getting lost in the tangle of arms and legs.

"Are you home now Mommy?" Hermione recognized Alexander's tired voice.

"I'm home now." Hermione whispered. As Alexander crawled over to the other side of the bed and cuddled to his mother's side.

While Hermione was drifting off to sleep, Severus was sitting on the window seat in Minerva's hospital room

contemplating exactly what he was doing here. It's not like he was of any use, watching Minerva sleep wasn't doing her any favors and frankly it made him feel downright creepy. Here he was quite literally watching over the wife of the man whom he murdered. Granted Albus's death wasn't entirely Severus's doing, he, Severus had been nothing more than a means to an end. But that thought did little to comfort Severus. But soon his thoughts had drifted to another matter aside from his own difficulties, he thought of Minerva.

He started thinking of the way her hair smelled of vanilla and the way the soft strands felt beneath his hand. The way he was unable to stop himself from caressing the thick inky tresses. And the way she had seemingly trusted him during her moment of pain. At that thought the room felt as if it were closing in on Severus and he could hear his heart pounding in his eardrums. He needed to get out, get as far away from Minerva as possible. But he couldn't. He could see her in his mind's eye.

Minerva laying in the hospital bed alone, defenseless when the pain returned with nobody to comfort her. Well it's not like being alone is the worst thing in the world. Severus thought dryly. Then he saw Minerva laying alone and defenseless if Lydia returned. That was enough for Severus to know that

he couldn't leave her, his body wanted out but something else, something strange that he couldn't identify, kept him there and he couldn't do anything about it.

Severus could hear snippets of conversation from out in the hall and he recognized Quinn's voice coming closer. When Quinn knocked on the door, Severus took this opportunity to make his escape. Severus unlocked the door to allow Quinn entrance, when Quinn came in, Severus walked right passed him without a word. He closed and locked the door to prevent Quinn's escape.

Severus's legs carried him on their own accord, he tore through the hallway as fast as he could out into the dark, moonlit arctic cold parking lot. The cold wind flecked with flurries seemed to calm Severus's ragging nerves. For a moment. With trembling hands Severus withdrew the yellowed, worn parchment from his pocket, he knew the text verbatim for he had carried it with him everyday for the past six years. But in these situations, memory mattered not.

So standing in a practically deserted parking lot, with the bitter wind howling in his ears, Severus unfolded the parchment. His eyes scanned the last note ever penned in Albus Dumbledore's neat, loopy handwriting. Most of the front page looked blurry and unfocused apart from the lines of the first two paragraphs.

Dearest Severus,

If you are reading this, then you have completed the task that I set before you many months ago and I am undoubtedly dead. I want to thank you for your unwavering loyalty and friendship, even in times when you should have doubted me, even in times when I doubted myself I sincerely hope that you know that your affection and the time we've spent together means more to me then all the lemon drops in Honeydukes. I know I've asked to much of you over the years. But alas my death brings about more pain then I would care to admit otherwise, but as this is my final letter and an old man's pride should be pushed aside for the sake of the greater good. So I ask of you, this one final request.

Guard my heart for me Severus, take care of Minerva. She will need someone strong to lean on after I am gone. Someone who will not pity her in her grief. Minerva is strong in her own right but I have no doubts that she will allow her good judgment to waiver. She trusts you although she would never openly admit it, but she does trust you Severus, as much as I do and her trust is not given easily. I beg of you, keep her safe, Severus. Protect her from herself, help her to be happy again. Look after her, Severus.

Severus tore his gaze from the paper his heart pounded and his hands shook as the words sank in 'Look after her Severus.' "Headmaster I cannot do this." Severus whispered to the wind. Then when he received no answer, he shouted "Headmaster, how? You asked me to 'look after her' And I'm trying! I'm doing the best I know how but you didn't prepare me for this. How was I supposed to know that she would flip out and get herself sacked! Then I did the only thing I could, I took her away from Hogwarts , I hid her away from everyone. I left her alone I left her to her own devices, for a month, with no outside contact from anyone.

Then, as far as I know, she got drunk and hurt herself, I wasn't around to protect her from that! It was lucky that Hermione found her in time! Then she had a breakdown, and she slapped me and she cried, then I held her. Headmaster, I held your widow in my arms and I liked it. It felt good , but it's wrong she's wife and she's grieving over you and I won't take advantage of that! It's obvious that you can't hear me, given the fact that your... dead. But couldn't you send me a sign... something...anything?" Severus paused for a moment before turning on his heel. "Apparently I'm talking to the moon." Severus muttered as he began walking back towards the hospital building.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew through the trees and ripped the parchment out of Severus's hand. The parchment landed on the frozen grass a few feet away. Severus hurried after it. He stood over the parchment for a moment as a single snowflake fell from the sky and landed on the parchment, highlighting two words be happy. Severus took a steadying breath as the wind suddenly stopped blowing as he bent forward and picked up the parchment.

"You were prepared for this, weren't you, Headmaster?" Severus muttered as he looked up towards the trees. The wind gusted once again and Severus could have sworn that he saw the tree branch move up and down as if it were nodding.

"Thank you , Headmaster." Severus muttered to the still wind as he turned back in the direction of the hospital.

Yay! Finally finished! So sorry it took so long to update I hope you all enjoyed this one I hope I've done alright with Severus. He's so difficult to keep in character. Feel free to tell me off if you feel the need to do so. :^) Many thanks for all the reviews! For once I have a clear idea of the next chapter so you COULD get an update a bit faster next time. I'm not making any promises but it is possible. I'm a bit worried about Quinn though, still not sure if he's good or bad. Y'all let me know!


	16. Chapter 16

Hermione and Severus were at Minerva's bedside simultaneously, Minerva was still trying to compose herself. So Hermione instinctively cupped Minerva's cheek in her palm, "She's gone, Severus locked the door. She won't be able to come in here tonight." Hermione whispered.

Quinn was standing on the other side of Minerva, gently rubbing a thick cream on Minerva's back. Minerva sighed tiredly whenever she felt Quinn's hands carefully redoing the buttons on her nightdress.

"I want you to go home now Hermione, go home tuck your son's in bed and go to sleep. We have some things to discuss tomorrow and I want you to be well rested." Minerva whispered, patting Hermione's cheek.

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, My Dear, I'll be right here when you come back tomorrow." Minerva said, closing her eyes.

"She won't be alone, Hermione." Severus added quietly.

"Fine, but I'm not taking my car, the drive takes too long." Hermione said stubbornly. Turning to Quinn, daring him to try and stop her from taking the floo network.

But instead of putting up a resistance, he simply crossed the room and kissed her cheek before walking her to the fireplace. " Don't wait up. I'll be home as soon as I can. I want to make sure Lydia isn't going to try anything." Quinn said.

"Okay, I'll see you later." Hermione said, stepping into the fireplace and taking a handful of floo powder.

Seconds later Hermione arrived in her living room, a tired looking Ginny Weasley ~Potter Greeted her from the sofa. "The boys are upstairs, they wanted to wait up for you but I told them you wouldn't be home until late. They are sleeping in your bed now." Ginny said, stretching her legs.

"Thanks Gin. Were they good today?" Hermione replied.

"Well, let's see, Ginny said, ticking things off of her fingers, "Alexander broke a plate today during lunch. Xavier broke his nose sliding off the staircase railing, and the two of them nearly gave me a heart attack when they tried to set the house on fire playing with paper in the fireplace! And that was just this morning."

"What?" Hermione said, breathlessly practically falling into a nearby armchair.

"Hermione, you could pick your jaw off the floor now. I was only joking." Ginny said.

As Hermione cast a fleeting glance across the room, looking for blood and evidence of a fire.

"Not funny, Ginny. It's been a long day." Hermione muttered, putting her face in her hands and resting her arms on her knees.

"I'm sorry, How's McGonagall?" Ginny replied.

"She's...um..." Hermione paused, trying to decide how much she should tell Ginny, how much Minerva would want anyone else to know. "She's...okay...she's ill of course...but she's alright...considering." Hermione's words seemed to hang in the air for a moment before Ginny spoke. "So McGonagall's in St Mungo's? You said she was ill."

"Quinn's looking after her. Oh and Severus is with her as well, anyway I'm going to bed now. Goodnight." Hermione said, trying to make a break for the staircase.

"Hold up, wait a second, Severus as in Severus Snape! Head of Slytherin, potions master and possible son of Satan! " Ginny said in apparent disbelief.

"Yes, but calling him the son of Satan is a bit harsh. He's not as bad as we thought" Hermione replied mildly.

"Whatever." Ginny replied.

Before Hermione could say anything else, Ginny was already snoring.

Hermione decided that whatever Quinn didn't know, didn't hurt him so with a flick of her wand, she conjured a blanket and covered Ginny with it before climbing the stairs. When she reached her bedroom Hermione maneuvered her way through the darkness and crawled into bed between her boys, getting lost in the tangle of arms and legs.

"Are you home now Mommy?" Hermione recognized Alexander's tired voice.

"I'm home now." Hermione whispered. As Alexander crawled over to the other side of the bed and cuddled to his mother's side.

While Hermione was drifting off to sleep, Severus was sitting on the window seat in Minerva's hospital room

contemplating exactly what he was doing here. It's not like he was of any use, watching Minerva sleep wasn't doing her any favors and frankly it made him feel downright creepy. Here he was quite literally watching over the wife of the man whom he murdered. Granted Albus's death wasn't entirely Severus's doing, he, Severus had been nothing more than a means to an end. But that thought did little to comfort Severus. But soon his thoughts had drifted to another matter aside from his own difficulties, he thought of Minerva.

He started thinking of the way her hair smelled of vanilla and the way the soft strands felt beneath his hand. The way he was unable to stop himself from caressing the thick inky tresses. And the way she had seemingly trusted him during her moment of pain. At that thought the room felt as if it were closing in on Severus and he could hear his heart pounding in his eardrums. He needed to get out, get as far away from Minerva as possible. But he couldn't. He could see her in his mind's eye.

Minerva laying in the hospital bed alone, defenseless when the pain returned with nobody to comfort her. Well it's not like being alone is the worst thing in the world. Severus thought dryly. Then he saw Minerva laying alone and defenseless if Lydia returned. That was enough for Severus to know that

he couldn't leave her, his body wanted out but something else, something strange that he couldn't identify, kept him there and he couldn't do anything about it.

Severus could hear snippets of conversation from out in the hall and he recognized Quinn's voice coming closer. When Quinn knocked on the door, Severus took this opportunity to make his escape. Severus unlocked the door to allow Quinn entrance, when Quinn came in, Severus walked right passed him without a word. He closed and locked the door to prevent Quinn's escape.

Severus's legs carried him on their own accord, he tore through the hallway as fast as he could out into the dark, moonlit arctic cold parking lot. The cold wind flecked with flurries seemed to calm Severus's ragging nerves. For a moment. With trembling hands Severus withdrew the yellowed, worn parchment from his pocket, he knew the text verbatim for he had carried it with him everyday for the past six years. But in these situations, memory mattered not.

So standing in a practically deserted parking lot, with the bitter wind howling in his ears, Severus unfolded the parchment. His eyes scanned the last note ever penned in Albus Dumbledore's neat, loopy handwriting. Most of the front page looked blurry and unfocused apart from the lines of the first two paragraphs.

Dearest Severus,

If you are reading this, then you have completed the task that I set before you many months ago and I am undoubtedly dead. I want to thank you for your unwavering loyalty and friendship, even in times when you should have doubted me, even in times when I doubted myself I sincerely hope that you know that your affection and the time we've spent together means more to me then all the lemon drops in Honeydukes. I know I've asked to much of you over the years. But alas my death brings about more pain then I would care to admit otherwise, but as this is my final letter and an old man's pride should be pushed aside for the sake of the greater good. So I ask of you, this one final request.

Guard my heart for me Severus, take care of Minerva. She will need someone strong to lean on after I am gone. Someone who will not pity her in her grief. Minerva is strong in her own right but I have no doubts that she will allow her good judgment to waiver. She trusts you although she would never openly admit it, but she does trust you Severus, as much as I do and her trust is not given easily. I beg of you, keep her safe, Severus. Protect her from herself, help her to be happy again. Look after her, Severus.

Severus tore his gaze from the paper his heart pounded and his hands shook as the words sank in 'Look after her Severus.' "Headmaster I cannot do this." Severus whispered to the wind. Then when he received no answer, he shouted "Headmaster, how? You asked me to 'look after her' And I'm trying! I'm doing the best I know how but you didn't prepare me for this. How was I supposed to know that she would flip out and get herself sacked! Then I did the only thing I could, I took her away from Hogwarts , I hid her away from everyone. I left her alone I left her to her own devices, for a month, with no outside contact from anyone.

Then, as far as I know, she got drunk and hurt herself, I wasn't around to protect her from that! It was lucky that Hermione found her in time! Then she had a breakdown, and she slapped me and she cried, then I held her. Headmaster, I held your widow in my arms and I liked it. It felt good , but it's wrong she's wife and she's grieving over you and I won't take advantage of that! It's obvious that you can't hear me, given the fact that your... dead. But couldn't you send me a sign... something...anything?" Severus paused for a moment before turning on his heel. "Apparently I'm talking to the moon." Severus muttered as he began walking back towards the hospital building.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew through the trees and ripped the parchment out of Severus's hand. The parchment landed on the frozen grass a few feet away. Severus hurried after it. He stood over the parchment for a moment as a single snowflake fell from the sky and landed on the parchment, highlighting two words be happy. Severus took a steadying breath as the wind suddenly stopped blowing as he bent forward and picked up the parchment.

"You were prepared for this, weren't you, Headmaster?" Severus muttered as he looked up towards the trees. The wind gusted once again and Severus could have sworn that he saw the tree branch move up and down as if it were nodding.

"Thank you , Headmaster." Severus muttered to the still wind as he turned back in the direction of the hospital.

Yay! Finally finished! So sorry it took so long to update I hope you all enjoyed this one I hope I've done alright with Severus. He's so difficult to keep in character. Feel free to tell me off if you feel the need to do so. :^) Many thanks for all the reviews! For once I have a clear idea of the next chapter so you COULD get an update a bit faster next time. I'm not making any promises but it is possible. I'm a bit worried about Quinn though, still not sure if he's good or bad. Y'all let me know!


End file.
